Citing the “sacrifice” that playing professional football carries in his life, the Pro Bowl’s nine-time center, Maurkice Pouncey, announced his retirement from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday.
Pouncey and his twin brother Mike made their joint announcement through Maurkice Pouncey’s friend and teammate Ramon Foster on Foster’s verified Twitter page. Foster, a guard, played alongside Pouncey for 10 seasons with the Steelers until he announced his retirement last March. Foster is now a co-host of a radio show in his native Tennessee.
It is an honor that my brothers from someone else have asked me to announce the next stage of their lives. After more than a decade @MaurkicePouncey and Mike Pouncey are WITHDRAWING @nfl 🤝. Below are your memos of thanks to those involved in their careers. #Steeler #chargers #Miami #NFL pic.twitter.com/v9IALOrZaX
– Ramon Foster (@RamonFoster) February 12, 2021
Chosen in the first round in 2010, Pouncey was named to the Pro Bowl roster for all seasons in which he played more than a quarter. Pouncey missed the entire 2015 season because of a broken leg and two ligaments in his right knee were ruptured during a play early in the 2013 season.
Pouncey was the first team’s AP All Pro in 2011, 2012 and 2014. He was the second team’s All Pro in 2010 and 2018.
But since turning 30 in 2019, Pouncey has lost six games in the past two seasons, the first time in addition to the two major injuries he has lost games due to an injury since 2012. The Steelers finished last season in the NFL last in racing yards, and his surprising loss at the opening of the playoff to the Cleveland Browns was facilitated in part by Pouncey snapping high above Ben Roethlisberger’s head on the first play of the game.
After the game, Pouncey and Roethlisberger sat alone on the bench long after almost all players on both teams had retired to their locker rooms. Roethlisberger in particular had noticeable tears in his eyes as he sat down with Pouncey, one of his closest friends on the team.
“I love that guy (Pouncey),” Roethlisberger said later. “He is one of the best competitors and teammates I have ever had. It has been a lot of fun to share a football field with him. “
Pouncey and Roethlisberger said they would sometimes retire together. In the past few weeks, Steelers President Art Rooney II and Roethlisberger have said publicly that they want Roethlisberger to return for an 18º season at 39 years. But contract negotiations remain before that can happen.
Pouncey’s retirement leaves the Steelers with a $ 6.48 million “dead money” hit on their salary cap for 2021, according to overthecap.com. If he had played this season, Pouncey would have been paid $ 8 million. The Steelers can now cut that money out of its 2021 limit, although they are likely to complement their internal offensive line with hiring free agents and / or draft choices.
Pouncey’s reserve last season was JC Hassenauer, a former unescaled player whose greatest professional experience came from the now defunct Alliance of American Football in 2019. Hassenauer, who was a reserve during his college term in Alabama, started four games in 2020 – three in Pouncey’s place.
Pouncey’s retirement means that the Steelers could have up to four new holders in their offensive line in 2021. Left guard Matt Feiler, left Alejendro Villanueva and right Zach Banner will be unrestricted free agents next month – although Banner is recovering from a torn ACL suffered at the opening of the season.
“I will always love football (and) I will always be the biggest competitor in my life,” said a message posted via Foster. “I (just) am not in love with the sacrifice that football carries in my life, my beautiful daughters Jayda, Marley (and) my family.”
He was born a minute after Maurkice in Lakeland, Florida. Mike Pouncey played alongside his brother at the University of Florida and was chosen in the first round of the Miami Dolphins in 2010. He played seven seasons for them and the 2018-19 seasons for the Los Angeles Chargers. But Mike only played five games in 2019 because of a neck injury, and he didn’t play last season because of a hip injury.
In his retirement note, Maurkice Pouncey promised to keep his job for the TeamPouncey Foundation. Pouncey has defended underprivileged children and police issues.
Pouncey and Roethlisberger were the only remaining active players in the Steelers who were in the squad the last time they reached the Super Bowl in February 2011. Pouncey, however, did not play in that loss to the Green Bay Packers due to an ankle injury.
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Chris Adamski is a staff writer for the Tribune-Review. You can contact Chris by email at [email protected] or via Twitter .
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