Philadelphia Eagles received some surprising news over the weekend. Linebacker Jatavis Brown, one of their offseason acquisitions, announced his retirement at the age of 26.
Brown inked a $1.04 million deal with Philly in March after he spent the previous four years with the Chargers. Reportedly, there is no apparent reason for his retirement, and he just “felt it was time for him to step away.”
Eagles confirmed the news on their social media.
Eagles planned for Brown to be a valuable contributor on special teams and also provide depth on defense. Now, however, Eagles will have to find some other contributors in their already largely anonymous LB group that includes T.J. Edwards, Davion Taylor, Duke Riley, and Alex Singleton.
Jatavis Brown entered the league in 2016 as Chargers’ fifth-round pick. He had a stellar rookie year, contributing with 3.5 sack and making the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Although he never replicated the first-year success after, he was usually a reliable piece on the defensive side of the ball.
Brown’s career stats include 56 games (23 starts) played with 265 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 12 pass deflections, and three forced fumbles.
