Veteran safety Keanu Neal announced his retirement after eight seasons in the NFL. Neal is walking away from professional football at the age of 29.
Neal last played in the 2023 season, when he started eight games with the Pittsburgh Steelers and recorded 50 tackles, two passes defended, and one interception. The Steelers released him during the 2024 offseason due to a failed physical and he remained unsigned since.
Neal made his retirement announcement through a post on Instagram.
“Today, I am retiring from the NFL,” Neal wrote in the caption before proceeding to thank the organizations he played for and his teammates, coaches, and family.
“All the lessons learned through the game has helped mold me into who I am today,” he added.
Keanu Neal entered the league as the Atlanta Falcons’ first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. His best season as a pro came in sophomore year, when he earned his lone Pro Bowl nod after having 116 tackles, six passes defended, three forced fumbles, and one interception.
The following two seasons saw Neal deal with season-ending injuries. He tore his ACL in 2018 and Achilles in 2019, which limited him to four games during that period.
Neal bounced back in 2020 but the Falcons opted against re-signing him after his rookie contract expired. He would go on to play for the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before landing in Pittsburgh as his last NFL stop.
