Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Markus Golden announced his retirement on Wednesday, ending a nine-season career in the NFL.
Golden, who played with the Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Steelers, announced his retirement via Instagram.
Although the Pittsburgh Steelers had already listed Golden, 33, on the reserve/retired list this month, he only publicly confirmed his retirement on Wednesday.
Markus Golden's farewell message
“Football has always been more than just a sport to me. I've officially retired from the NFL after playing the game I've loved all my life. I feel truly blessed to have been able to live out the dreams and goals I set for myself as a kid,” Golden said in instagram.
“A Big thank you to God, my family, friends, St. Louis, Matthew Dickey Boys & Girls Club, Affton, Hutchinson Community College, Mizzou, The Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Steelers for giving me the opportunity to pursue my dreams. I'm also incredibly grateful to all the teammates and coaches I had the privilege to work with along the way,” he continued.
A product of the University of Missouri, Golden was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He initially played four seasons with the Cardinals, followed by a year and a half with the New York Giants.
The former Cardinal endured a torn ACL just four games into the 2017 season, which affected his performance in the following year. Although he played 11 games in 2018, he struggled to regain his previous form.
Golden returned to the Cardinals for another two and a half seasons before concluding his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023.
The 33-year old experienced three separate playoff appearances, concluding with the Steelers in his final season. He was also part of the 2015 Arizona Cardinals squad that made it to the NFC Championship Game.
“To all the incredible fans, Thank You! Your passion and energy fueled me, and I'm grateful for each and every one of you,” Golden concluded.
Golden's nine-year career
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Golden wraps up his NFL career with 343 tackles, 68 tackles for loss, and 51 sacks in 127 games. He also recorded one interception, 11 forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries.
He notably returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown while with the Giants, picking up a Tom Brady fumble and running it back 42 yards.
Golden’s sole full season with the Giants could be considered the pinnacle of his career in terms of individual performance. During that year, he achieved a career-high 72 tackles and 10 sacks. He also recorded double-digit sack totals with the Cardinals, finishing with 12.5 sacks in 2016 and 11 sacks in 2021.
Markus Golden recorded three seasons with double-digit sacks throughout his career. His standout year came in 2016 with the Cardinals, where he achieved a career-high 12.5 sacks. He also had 10 sacks with the Giants in 2019 and 11 sacks with the Cardinals in 2021.
In his final season with the Steelers, Golden played 16 games, recording 20 tackles, six tackles for loss, and four sacks. Although he entered free agency this offseason, he has chosen to retire instead of continuing his football career.
