BALTIMORE, MD – NOVEMBER 01: Vince Williams #98 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after beating the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on November 1, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Benjamin Solomon/Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced that linebacker Vince Williams is retiring from the NFL after spending eight seasons with the team.
The Pittsburgh Steelers defense is one of the top units in the NFL because of their elite front seven and ball-hawking safeties in the secondary. They rely on everybody being in the right place and doing their job to the best of their abilities. Unfortunately, the unit just lost a valuable member of the squad Wednesday.
Longtime Steeler linebacker Vince Williams told the team that he is retiring from the NFL after spending his entire career with the team.
Steelers LB Vince Williams retires after eight seasons with the team
Vince Williams was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2013 draft out of Florida State. He spent his entire eight-year career with Pittsburgh, establishing himself as a solid rotational backer, even getting the start in certain games. The 31-year-old informed the team that he is hanging up his cleats and retiring from the NFL Wednesday.
“Vince Williams notified us today that he will retire from the game of football. We respect his decision and want to thank him for his time with us as he consistently showed great character and leadership in addition to his contributions on the field. We wish Vince and his family all the best, Steelers General Manager and Vice President Kevin Colbert said per Steelers.com.
Williams played in 144 games (69 starts), racking up 444 tackles, 48 tackles for loss, 43 quarterback hits, 20.5 sacks, five passes defended, five fumble recoveries, and two interceptions. In 2020, his 14 tackles for loss ranked as ninth-most in the NFL.
According to Steelers.com, only 10 players in Williams draft class played more games than him in his career. All 10 were selected ahead of the 206th overall pick in 2013.