Mike Pouncey announces retirement

Four-time Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey announced his retirement on Friday, according to Ramon Foster. Pouncey spent the last three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, but started his NFL career with the Miami Dolphins, where he played for seven seasons. He was originally selected by Miami with the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, coming out of Florida.

Along with Mike’s retirement, his twin brother Maurkice is also retiring. Maurkice played next to Mike at Florida, then was selected in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Mike released, through Foster, a statement about his career and his decision to retire:

We began this journey at 6 years old and now at 31 we will close this chapter of our lives as I announcement my retirement from the @nfl and walk away from the game. I am thankful for everything FOOTBALL has taught me and everywhere it has taken me! Dream big kids because they do come true not because you dream it and think it’s just going to happen, but because you work as hard as you can towards it and make it happen! Never be afraid to make a mistake learn from them and fix it!

I would like to thank the @miamidolphins Mr. Ross, Jeff Ireland, Mike Tannenbaum and the entire front office for giving me the opportunity to live out my childhood dream of playing in the NFL my la familia 4life! To the @chargers and the entire Spanos family words can’t express my gratitude to your organization THANK YOU! Tom Telesco thank you for brining me to LA and for believing in me! Our conversations i will never forget ! To all my teammates and coaches I’m going to miss seeing you guys every day and i know damn well your going to miss pounce lol! Thank you for all the memories i will cherish them forever! Mom/Dad/Talisha/ Tierra I love you guys to the moon and back best family anyone could ask for! To my kids Nunu & Kayden I hope I made you guys proud! The last 14 years my focus has been all about me and now it will be all about you. sometimes when you trying to be great at something you have to sacrifice even things I can’t explain! ultimately those sacrifices were for you two! @1andonly_krissy THANK YOU

For all the sacrifices you make to make me look like a great father and cover for me when I could not be there no matter what!

Maurkicepouncey my best friend in the world None of this was possible without you! The true character of a man is what you do when no one else is looking but when your a twin on the same mission there was no hiding from the grind! That’s The one thing i could never live with and that was letting you down! The constant pushing each other to be the best is what made us who we are today! We wanted to make it cool to be an offensive linemen and we accomplished it✅ 1Love [sic]

Congratulations to both Pouncey brothers. Thank you to Mike who, despite injuries that continued to plague him through his career, gave his all for the Dolphins throughout his time in Miami.