LOOK: Former Cowboys defensive lineman Jack Crawford announces NFL retirement

Former Penn State Nittany Lions star defensive lineman Jack Crawford announced his retirement from the NFL after 10 seasons on Tuesday. Crawford played for five different teams during his 10-year pro career, starting with the Oakland Raiders and finishing with the Arizona Cardinals. The most productive years of his career were with the Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans.

Drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft, Crawford went No. 158 overall to the Raiders. He played sparingly as a rookie before breaking out in 15 games as a second-year player. The Dallas Cowboys picked him up initially for two years before keeping him for a third after a 2015 season with 21 tackles and four sacks.

Thank you @NFL @NFLUK pic.twitter.com/6d4E4DQMYt

— Jack Crawford (@Sack_Religious) May 17, 2022

After year three in Dallas, which saw him notch three more sacks, Crawford went to the Atlanta Falcons on a three-year, $8.8 million deal – the biggest of his career. He only played four games in his first year in Atlanta but posted a career-high six sacks, 35 tackles and a forced fumble.

From the Falcons, Crawford moved on to the Tennessee Titans for one season, which would end up being his last active year. In 2021, after signing with Arizona, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.

Britain’s Jack Crawford hangs up his cleats after 10 years in NFL

A London, England native, Crawford came to the U.S. at 16, where he played football at St. Augustine Prep in New Jersey. He committed to Penn State as a three-star prospect over offers from other Big 10 programs like Minnesota and Rutgers.

“I’ve been on a strict schedule for 14 years, if you count college, so now I’m closing that chapter,” Crawford said on BBC Radio. “It’s been tough but sometimes you have to let those things go and look forward to the future.

“I think it’s important that I retire on my own terms and I retire from the game before the game retires me.”