The veteran defender officially calls it a career after a decade in the league.
After a 10-year career that included stints with two different teams and a Super Bowl championship, former Baltimore Ravens’ defensive linemen Derek Wolfe announced his retirement from the NFL on Friday.
“After seasons in the NFL, I’ve decided it’s time to step away from the game. Time for a new beginning.” #ThankYouDWolfe x @Derek_Wolfe95 pic.twitter.com/qeCyOrKLw7
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) July 29, 2022
Wolfe was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. The No. 36 overall pick out of Cincinnati spent the first eight years of his career there. He appeared in 11 games in 2013 but when the Broncos made it to Super Bowl XLVIII but was injured when the team lost to the Seattle Seahawks. Two years later, he was a key cog in helping Denver go the distance and win Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers.
He signed with the Ravens during the 2020 offseason on a one-year deal. After being the team’s ironman in the defensive trenches that season, he earned a three-year extension worth $12 million the following spring. Then, injuries, multiple surgeries, and issues with COVID-19 protocols prevented him from seeing the field in 2021.
Wolfe and the Ravens reached an injury settlement on June 14, ending his tenure with the team. In his lone season in Baltimore, he appeared in 14 games and made eight starts. He recorded 51 total tackles including six for loss, four quarterback hits, and one sack.
Wolfe finishes his career having played in 122 games and 116 starts. He recorded 350 total tackles including 52 for loss, 81 quarterback hits, 34 sacks, and 17 pass deflections. In seven career playoff games, Wolfe made six starts and recorded 28 total tackles including three for a loss, one pass deflection, nine quarterback hits, and 3.5 sacks.