Jaguars OL Brandon Linder Retires After Eight Seasons

The 2014 third-round pick played all eight NFL seasons in Jacksonville.

Jaguars center Brandon Linder announced his retirement Monday after eight NFL seasons.

Linder, 30, played all eight years of his career with Jacksonville. 

“Eight years ago, you welcomed me like a family member and have continued to support me unconditionally,” Linder wrote in a statement. “After much reflection, I have realized that the man I currently aspire to be is no longer aligning with the person I must become to play this game. It is at this time that I have decided to close this chapter of my life and retire from the NFL.” 

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Linder was drafted by the Jaguars in the third round of the 2014 NFL draft. He started 15 games at guard as a rookie before moving to center in ’16. Linder then signed a $51.7 million deal with Jacksonville, a contract that made him the highest-paid center in NFL history.

The Miami product dealt with a number of injuries in recent years. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2018 and missed multiple games due to ankle and MCL injuries in ’20 and ’21. 

Jacksonville enters 2022 seeking its first playoff appearance since 2017 after a 3–14 finish last season. 

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