Former Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Giovani Bernard announced his retirement from the NFL on Friday. Bernard, 31, posted a heartfelt message on his Twitter account.

“The 10-year NFL veteran said the following, “10 years ago, I came into this league grateful. Grateful for what God has done for me to get to that moment and to celebrate all the obstacles that were overcome. And now fast forward 10 years, I leave humbled. Humbled by the experiences, relationships, and memories that have shaped me during this time. I've had the privilege of crossing paths with exceptional men and women, including my brothers on the field, coaches who've taught me so much, and front office/staff who worked behind the scenes to make it all seamless.”

Giovani Bernard, a second-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft by the Bengals, spent the first eight seasons of his career in Cincinnati.

He rushed for over 600 yards in each of his first three seasons, working in tandem with fellow Bengals halfbacks Benjarvus Green-Ellis and Jeremy Hill.

He quickly emerged as one of the better pass-catching running backs in his career.

Bernard tore his ACL in November of 2016, limiting him to just 10 games played that season.

He stepped into more of a backup role for the remainder of his career, especially with the arrival of Joe Mixon to the Bengals.

However, Bernard remained effective when called upon to handle a heavier load, especially as a pass-catcher out of the backfield.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Bernard back in 2021, then re-signed him after injuries limited him to 12 games in his debut season in Tampa Bay.

Giovani Bernard retires with 3,789 rushing yards and 2,989 receiving yards to his name.