After 12 seasons and six Pro Bowl selections, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy announced his retirement from the National Football League in style on Friday morning.
The 35-year-old posted an epic two-minute video on social media, tracking the elite defensive player throughout his 12-year NFL career.
THANK YOU!!! pic.twitter.com/NxE9K4TfJK
— Gerald McCoy (@Geraldini93) April 14, 2023
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, McCoy spent the first nine years of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, before short stints with the Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders.
The DT ends his career with 334 tackles, 59.5 sacks, 24 pass deflections, six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
It was quite a career for the University of Oklahoma product, who earned six Pro Bowl invitations during his nine seasons with the Buccaneers, and every year from 2012-17.
“That is tied with Mike Alstott and Lee Roy Selmon for the third most Pro Bowl selections in franchise history, behind only Hall of Famers Derrick Brooks (11) and Warren Sapp (7),” wrote Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com on Friday.
“McCoy is also tied with Alstott and Selmon for the third most consecutive all-star game selections in team history.”
McCoy was a first-team Associated Press All-Pro in 2013, after posting a career-high 9.5 sacks. He also earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2014 and 2016, per Smith.
With 54.5 sacks in nine seasons in Tampa Bay, McCoy earned the fourth highest total in team history. He started all 123 games during his tenure in Florida, recording 297 tackles, 153 quarterback hits, 86 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and 24 passes defended.
“One more thing,” Gerald McCoy wrote at the end of the video, staying true to the team where he spent the first near decade of his National Football League career. “South Side the realest.”
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