Patriots FB James Develin Announces He is Retiring

New England's fullback took to Instagram to make the announcement.
Patriots FB James Develin Announces He is Retiring
Patriots FB James Develin Announces He is Retiring /

New England Patriots starting fullback James Develin has announcement his retirement from the NFL via an Instagram post. 

Develin was a pivotal part of the Patriots offense, specifically in their run game. A large part of their success in 2018 on the ground was thanks to Develin, who is one of the best in the league when it comes to creating a lane for the ball carrier behind him. 

Last season, Develin was placed on injured reserve in late September because of a neck injury. There was talk all offseason that Develin - at age-31 - could retire due to the severity of his neck injury. That looks now to be true. 

The Patriots already have a backup plan in place. They signed former Packers fullback Danny Vitale during free agency. They also drafted tight end Dalton Keene, who is a great blocker and could earn snaps at fullback if need be. But only time will tell if they can play at as high a level as Develin did during his seven-year career with the Patriots. 


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