OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Former Nebraska All-American and longtime NFL defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh officially announced his retirement from the league Saturday, closing the door on a 13-year career that included five Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl title.
The announcement came on a deeply personal date for Suh — the one-year anniversary of his father’s death.
“Today marks a full year since I said goodbye to my dad,” Suh shared on social media. “He was more than a father — he was my role model, my motivator and the foundation of who I am. Every game I played was for him.”
Suh revealed that before his father passed, he encouraged him to step away from the game.
“He told me it was time to move on. That I had accomplished what I set out to do. And that it was time for the next chapter,” Suh wrote.
July 12, 2024 was the hardest day of my life.
It’s the day I said goodbye to my father, the man who raised me, shaped me, challenged me, and believed in me before I believed in myself.
He wasn’t just a dad. He was my idol, my coach, and my anchor.
He taught me what it meant to… pic.twitter.com/WkefQaDrsQ
— Ndamukong Suh (@NdamukongSuh) July 12, 2025
The Portland, Oregon, native became one of the most decorated defensive players in college football history during his time at Nebraska from 2005-09. His dominant senior season earned him the Lombardi, Bednarik, Nagurski and Outland trophies — along with a fourth-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Suh was selected second overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2010 NFL Draft and went on to win Defensive Rookie of the Year and first-team All-Pro honors in his debut season. After five years in Detroit, Suh signed a record-setting deal with the Miami Dolphins, becoming the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history at the time.
He also played for the Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles — appearing in three Super Bowls with three different teams. He won Super Bowl LV with Tampa Bay in 2021.
In total, Suh finishes his career with 600 tackles (130 for loss), 71.5 sacks and a reputation as one of the most dominant — yet controversial — interior defensive linemen of his era.
Suh was often at the center of controversy due to his aggressive play style. He was fined multiple times and served two suspensions during his career, though one postseason ban was later overturned on appeal.
He last played in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles during their run to Super Bowl LVII in early 2023.
As for what’s next, Suh said he’s turning his focus to a new venture: the No Free Lunch podcast.
“It’s about real conversations, real strategy and real education,” he wrote. “Because freedom doesn’t come from fame — it comes from knowledge and how you move. Now I’m using my platform to serve something bigger.”
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