Muncie Central graduate Ryan Kerrigan retires after 11 NFL seasons

MUNCIE, Ind. — Former Muncie Central and Purdue University football player Ryan Kerrigan on Friday announced his retirement from the NFL after 11 seasons.

Kerrigan signed a one-day contract to officially retire as a member of the Washington Commanders, the franchise he spent a decade with and became its career sacks leader after being selected in the first round of the 2011 draft.

"Sometimes I think about the life that I've been able to live because of football, and I can't believe it's me that's been chosen to live it," Kerrigan wrote in a statement. "While I'm thankful for the amazing times and memories I was able to have as a player, I'm equally thankful to now have the wisdom and courage to walk away. We all eventually come to the end of our playing days, and that time is now for me."

Kerrigan was a four-time Pro Bowl selection, including three straight from 2016-18, and finished his career with 95.5 sacks, 120 tackles for loss, 149 quarterback hits, 457 total tackles, three interceptions, 26 forced fumbles, 25 pass breakups and three defensive touchdowns.

Kerrigan played in the first 139 games of his career and had four double-digit sack seasons, his high being 13.5 in 2014. In 2013, he took his focus off the field as well by starting his charitable foundation, Blitz for the Better, which provides support for seriously ill, special needs and physically challenged kids.

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His final season was spent with the Philadelphia Eagles, where the 33-year-old tallied just three tackles. Yet he finished on a high note with 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss in the team's lone playoff game, Kerrigan's best postseason performance in four appearances.

"No matter how long I played and no matter how focused I was on the task at hand, I thankfully never lost sight of just how cool it is to be an NFL player," Kerrigan wrote. "Pulling up to FedExField on game day and seeing so many people there in my jersey was just about as cool it gets. And to have had the success that I was able to have? Something I never in my wildest dreams could have envisioned. To say I'm thankful would be quite the understatement."

At Purdue, Kerrigan was one of the best defensive players in the country. He was a unanimous All-American, earned First Team All-Big Ten honors and was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Smith–Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year.

Kerrigan played defensive end and tight end for Muncie Central. He was a three-star recruit after becoming an two-time All-State selection, Indiana Defensive Lineman of the Year and notching 90 tackles and 19 sacks on defense. On offense, he tallied 40 receptions for 789 yards and six touchdowns in his senior season in 2006.

"The relationships you make along the way are what make the NFL journey so special," Kerrigan wrote. "My teammates, coaches and all support staff members have become some of my best friends and the time I was able to share with them made going to 'work' every day something I cherished."

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Gus Martin is a sports reporter at The Star Press. Follow him on Twitter @GusMartin_SP, and contact him at gmartin@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Ryan Kerrigan: Muncie Central graduate retires after 11 NFL seasons