Seahawks LB DeMarcus Lawrence Confirms Retirement After 13th NFL Season

Outside linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence, a five-time Pro Bowler with 67.5 career sacks, announced his upcoming retirement following the Seahawks' Super Bowl LX win.

Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence confirmed to Yahoo Sports that his 13th NFL season will be his final year in the league. The 34-year-old veteran, who previously spent 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, reached this decision after helping Seattle secure a victory against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX. Lawrence enters his final campaign with 67.5 career sacks across 12 seasons of professional play since being selected as a second-round pick out of Boise State in 2014.

During the Seahawks' recent championship run, Lawrence recorded six sacks and two defensive touchdowns while appearing in 16 regular-season games. These contributions earned him his fifth career Pro Bowl selection and anchored a unit that finished as the NFL's top-ranked scoring defense. His postseason performance included recording exactly one sack in each of Seattle's first two playoff games leading up to the Super Bowl. This success followed a difficult 2024 season in Dallas where he was limited to only four games before signing with Seattle as a free agent in March.

Decision Following Super Bowl LX Triumph

Lawrence admitted he strongly considered retiring immediately after the February championship win. He told local reporters last week that his mind was "kind of made up" to call it a career if the Seahawks won the title. However, he described a "bittersweet feeling" regarding the team's potential to remain at the top of the league. The linebacker noted that while the process was tough, he credited the grace of God for the opportunity to play one more year and soak up the experience before hanging it up.

His transition to Seattle followed a lengthy tenure in Texas that ended after the 2024 season. Despite the initial thoughts of walking away last offseason, Lawrence chose to join the Seahawks' roster, eventually reaching the first Super Bowl and the first round past the divisional playoffs of his 12-year career. He expressed a desire to see how the team handles being the defending champions, noting that they now have the "dot on our backs" as the rest of the league pursues them.

Career Statistics and Boise State Roots

The veteran defender's journey began as a 2014 second-round draft choice. Over the subsequent 12 years, he accumulated his 67.5 sack total while evolving into a premier edge defender. His move to the Pacific Northwest proved statistically significant, as he surpassed his previous playoff limitations to become a centerpiece of a championship-winning defense. Lawrence emphasized that he wants to witness how the current brotherhood stays together through the tough moments and obstacles that come with defending a title.

Final Season Objectives in Seattle

As he prepares for his 13th and final season, Lawrence is focused on the challenge of staying on top of the NFL hierarchy. He told reporters that the hard part begins now that the team is no longer the hunter but the hunted. The linebacker intends to use this final year to experience the unique pressure of being a defending champion. By confirming his plans now, Lawrence ends the speculation that began during the summer months when he first implied this season would serve as his farewell tour. He remains committed to one last run with the Seattle defense before officially retiring from the sport.