On Thursday, former Detroit Lions defensive end Pat O’Connor announced his retirement from football via a post on his Instagram page.
“After 9 incredible years, I think it’s finally time to hang up the cleats,” O’Connor captioned the post. “If you had told my younger self that I’d play this long, spend my entire career with just two teams, get drafted, and win a Super Bowl, he would have called you crazy. But here we are.”
O’Connor was drafted by the Lions in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
While his career didn’t take off in Detroit—he didn’t make the 53-man roster and quickly joined the Buccaneers—he beat the long odds and found a way to stick around in Tampa Bay for a six years. He would end up playing 68 games for the Bucs over that time, contributing mainly on special teams.
But in a wonderful coincidence, O’Connor would finish his career with the team that drafted him. The Lions signed him in 2024, and over the next two seasons, he would play more on defense than he ever had—logging 236 snaps in 2024 and 106 last year. O’Connor’s nine-year career finishes with 88 games played, three starts, 52 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and seven tackles for loss.
“I want to thank all of my teammates and friends I met along the way,” O’Connor continued. “There are far too many to name, so I won’t—but you know who you are. Thank you for the memories, the friendships, and everything in between. Thank you to all of the coaches who impacted my career and helped me become a better player and an even better person, both on and off the field.”
O’Connor was a popular teammate, as evidenced by the several Lions players who offered well wishes in his comment section.
“Gonna miss u out there Patty O😥 scratch golfer incoming,” Aidan Hutchinson wrote.
“My dawg!!!😟 hate this for me but love this for you my guy! You earned it each and everyday!! Go live life brother!!” Derrick Barnes replied.
“It was an honor brother ! Congratulations! 🫡💙💪🏻 cheers,” former Lion Roy Lopez wrote.
Craig Reynolds, Levi Onwuzurike, Tyleik Williams, Malcolm Rodriguez, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Miles Frazier also all offered their congratulations as well.
“As one chapter closes, another begins,” O’Connor concluded. “Now it’s time to enter the real world. I’m beyond excited and ready for whatever comes next. Thank you, football, for everything.”
