A veteran member of the Patriots offensive line has decided its time to walk away from the game.
Taking to Instagram on Monday afternoon, center James Ferentz announced his retirement at age 34. He spent the last six seasons in New England and was a part of its 2018 Super Bowl team.
“After taking the time to collect my thoughts and speaking with my wife, Skylar, I’ve decided to retire from playing football,” Ferentz wrote. “Thank you to all my teammates, from Iowa City High, lowa, Houston, Denver, and New England. The bond and love is truly what football is about and why we all play. My teammates at every stop prove that theory true. Thank you all!”
“Thank you to Bill O’Brien, Gary Kubiak, and Bill Belichick for giving me the opportunity to play pro football when no one else would,” he continued. “To Dante Scarnecchia, thank you for helping me get the best from myself. A special thank you to the towns of Foxboro and Norfolk Massachusetts, where my family luckily has called home for the past seven years. Thank you to all the wonderful people we have met along the way.”
Ferentz went undrafted coming out of college but found a way to carve out a very nice eight-year career for himself in the NFL.
After two years in Denver, the Iowa native found a home on the Patriots where he appeared in 40 games and made 10 starts; adding a second ring to his trophy case.
He now gets to devote his time to his wife and their three lovely children.