The Miami Dolphins’ offensive line issues have long been a thorn in the side of the franchise. In recent years, the Dolphin’s offense has been bogged down by poor line play, particularly on the interior. But it didn’t always used to be that way — and it wasn’t all that long ago that the Miami Dolphins actually flourished in the center of the action thanks to a 2011 1st-round selection: Mike Pouncey.
Pouncey played 7 years with the Dolphins after being made the No. 15 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft before transitioning to play in Los Angeles with the Chargers ahead of the 2018 NFL season. In the three years that have passed, Pouncey has played in just 21 football games — which has led to today’s announcement. He, alongside his twin brother, Steelers center Maurkice, are retiring from the NFL.
The news broke this morning courtesy of Maurkice’s former teammate in Pittsburgh, Ramon Foster.
It’s my honor that my brothers from another asked me to announce the next stage in their life. After over a decade @MaurkicePouncey and Mike Pouncey are RETIRING from the @nfl 🤝. Below are their memos to thank those involved in their careers. #Steeler #chargers #Miami #NFL pic.twitter.com/v9IALOrZaX
— Ramon Foster (@RamonFoster) February 12, 2021
Pouncey made three consecutive Pro Bowls in Miami at center from 2013-2015 despite never playing all 16 games in each of those three seasons. And by the time Pouncey left for Los Angeles, he’d managed just one 16 game season in his final five seasons with the team (2017). With retirement now here for the 31-year old former Dolphin, the late 2000s and early 2010s Dolphins draft classes are running short on active players. Not a single member of the team’s 2009 NFL Draft class is still active and while John Jerry and Reshad Jones are still technically active NFL players from the Dolphins’ 2010 draft class, neither spent the 2020 season on an NFL roster.
Pouncey was the only member of the team’s 2011 draft class to be on a roster in 2020 — although TE Charles Clay has not formally retired yet. But Pouncey missed the 2020 season with the Chargers after hip surgery in mid-September, providing him with an unceremonious ending to an otherwise great NFL career.
In all, it adds up to 10 years in the league, $60,985,945 in career earnings and four Pro Bowls. To top it all off, a chance to ride off into life alongside his brother at the end — quite the journey for Pouncey, indeed.
