There are a few players in the league for whom we tune into those special game nights. However, time always catches up, as they slowly leave the stage one by one. An NFL phenom and Texas Longhorns icon will step away from the league after the 2025 season, putting a brilliant career to rest. 23 years in football is a long time to dedicate to the sport, and then deciding to hang up the cleats. Quietly, but diligently, this player almost never gave others a chance to complain.

Philadelphia star Jordan Hicks announced his retirement on July 25, bidding a consistent and productive career goodbye. The star LB played for 5  years in Texas, from 2010 to 2014. With a total of 248 tackles (22.5 TFLs) and 5.5 sacks. Hicks was picked in the 3round by the Eagles. Then, he played with Arizona, Minnesota before being signed by Cleveland in 2024. The 2025 season will be his last in the NFL, Hicks announces on his social media.

“Football has given me more than I could have ever imagined. Purpose, discipline, brotherhood, and a platform to impact others. But most importantly it showed me who I am outside the game. I leave this chapter with deep gratitude for every lesson, challenge, and victory. I’m proud of what I accomplished on the field, but even more proud of the man I’ve become because of it,” Hicks wrote on Instagram.

“I’m looking forward to this next season of life and all that it brings. I walk away with peace knowing I gave football all I had, and that the best is yet to come,” he added. Hicks will leave football with a Super Bowl win in the bag, a whopping total of 952 tackles, and lots of fans in awe of his impressive career. Here’s a look at his long-tenured run in football, consistently holding on to his best all these years.

Jordan Hicks’ 23-year-long career rarely saw a dip

Hicks came to college football as a Cincinnati star, out of Lakota West High School. He came to Texas with a prep career total of 216 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and a heap of awards and honors. Most notably, he won the Dick Butkus award, given to the best LB in high school. He was ranked the best OLB prospect in the 2010 class. In Texas, he played during the tail end of Mack Brown‘s career, just missing the Longhorns’ run up to the National Championship in 2009.

Jordan Hicks had a brilliant start in 2010, nonetheless, earning the Big 12 Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year. However, from then on, the LB began battling injuries. He was one of the contenders for the 2012 Lombardi trophy, but suffered a season-ending injury. Still, he left college football as one of the best linebackers of that time. He came very close to following up his Butkus award in 2014, but the NFL had more in store for him.

Hicks started his career with the Eagles with quite the commotion. In the 2015 Eagles vs Cowboys game, Hicks broke QB Tony Romo’s collarbone while attempting to sack him. He went down with an injury to himself later on in the season, but was leading the Eagles in tackles at the time. He eventually went on to replace veteran LB DeMeco Ryans in 2016. Hicks can technically call himself a Super Bowl winner because of the Eagles’ win in 2017. But he unfortunately couldn’t be part of that wonderful moment, dealing with an injury.

Hicks was not as celebrated as the others in his position, but he sure was a memorable and brilliant LB. In Cleveland, he has a major role, now that LB Owusu-Koramoah will be missing the whole season. This being his last year in football, Hicks will be dedicated to putting forward a great finish. Here’s wishing Hicks the best on his journey onwards.