Haloti Ngata announced he’s “retiring from the NFL on top,” and he went pretty literal with it.
The 35-year-old defensive lineman shared an Instagram post with him on top of the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, a 19,341-foot peak, standing with a sign that announced his retirement. He also shared a message with a caption on the post.
“Just a man standing on top of the world with a heart full of gratitude,” Ngata wrote Monday. “Thank you Lord for letting me play the game I love for 13 unforgettable years. I’m retiring on top. I might be finished playing football, but I’m holding tight to the friendships, memories and wisdom I’ve gained along the way. ‘Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.’ Walking away with no regrets, just peace in knowing I gave it my all and had a helluva lot of fun doing it.”
He started his career with nine seasons for the Baltimore Ravens, who drafted him 12th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. With the Ravens, Ngata won Super Bowl XLVII. In his first eight seasons, he missed just seven regular season games. Ngata also played three years in Detroit with his final season coming with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Ngata will finish his career with 519 tackles, 91 quarterback hits, 53 tackles for loss and 32.5 sacks in 180 games.
