Former Lions Defensive End Pat O’Connor Announces Retirement

What Happened?

On Thursday, a former football player named Pat O’Connor told the world he is retiring from the sport. He did this by posting a message on his Instagram page (a social media app where people share photos and words).

Pat’s Own Words

In his post, Pat said:

“After 9 incredible years, I think it’s finally time to hang up the cleats.”

Cleats are the special shoes football players wear. "Hang up the cleats" is a fun way to say "stop playing."

He also said:

“If you had told my younger self that I’d play this long, spend my entire career with just two teams, get drafted, and win a Super Bowl, he would have called you crazy. But here we are.”

• Drafted means a team picks you to join them.
• The Super Bowl is the big final game that decides the champion of the NFL (the top football league in the U.S.).

How His Football Journey Went

Here is Pat’s story in simple steps:

1. In 2017, the Detroit Lions (a football team) picked Pat in the seventh round of the NFL Draft.
2. He did not make the Lions’ main team at first (the "53-man roster" is the group of 53 players a team keeps to play in games), so he left and joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (another team, often called the Bucs).
3. He stayed with the Bucs for six years—which is hard to do! He played 68 games and mostly helped on special teams (the part of the game with kicking and returning the ball).
4. In a happy twist, he returned to the Lions in 2024—the same team that first picked him.
5. Over his last two seasons in Detroit, he played more on defense (the team trying to stop the other side from scoring) than ever before:
   • 236 plays (called "snaps") in 2024
   • 106 snaps last year

Important Point: Pat’s full 9-year career adds up to:

• 88 games played
• 3 games where he started
• 52 tackles (stops of the other player)
• 2.5 sacks (tackling the thrower behind the line)
• 7 tackles for loss (stops behind the line)

Saying Thank You

Pat used his post to thank the people around him:

• He thanked all teammates and friends (too many to name!) for memories and friendships.
• He thanked coaches who helped him become a better player and a better person on and off the field.

His final words were:

“As one chapter closes, another begins. Now it’s time to enter the real world. I’m beyond excited and ready for whatever comes next. Thank you, football, for everything.”

Friends Show Love

Pat was a liked teammate. Many Lions players wrote nice comments on his post:

• Aidan Hutchinson: “Gonna miss u out there Patty O scratch golfer incoming”
• Derrick Barnes: “My dawg!!! hate this for me but love this for you my guy! You earned it each and everyday!! Go live life brother!!”
• Roy Lopez (former Lion): “It was an honor brother ! Congratulations! cheers”

Also sending congratulations were:

• Craig Reynolds
• Levi Onwuzurike
• Tyleik Williams
• Malcolm Rodriguez
• Amon-Ra St. Brown
• Miles Frazier

Summary

Pat O’Connor played football for 9 years. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2017, spent most of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, won a Super Bowl, and finished back where he started with the Lions. He retired this week, thanked everyone, and said he is excited for life after football. Lots of teammates wished him well.

FAQ

Q: What does “hang up the cleats” mean?
A: It is a friendly way to say someone is stopping playing football and putting their shoes away.

Q: What is the NFL Draft?
A: It is an event where football teams pick new players to join them, like choosing people for your school team.

Q: What are special teams?
A: It is the group of players used during kicking plays, not the main offense or defense.

Q: Did Pat win a Super Bowl?
A: Yes, he said in his post that he won one during his career, mostly while with Tampa Bay.

Q: Why is it a “coincidence” he ended with the Lions?
A: Because the Lions were the team that first drafted him, but he left early—then came back at the end.