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Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Vince Williams announced his retirement Wednesday after eight seasons with the team.
The 31-year-old was drafted in 2013 by the Pittsburgh Steelers as a sixth-round selection out of Florida State. Since then, he has gone on to play 121 total games with 69 starts over eight seasons.
In eight seasons, he registered two interceptions, five passes defended, 20.5 sacks, 479 tackles, 50 tackles for loss and 45 quarterback hits. Vince Williams' best season was in 2017 where he started 16 starts and registered eight sacks, 89 tackles, one interception and 14 QB hits.
Vince Williams played behind Larry Foote, Lawrence Timmons and Ryan Shazier as a serviceable backup and rotational player. He was never known for filling up his stat sheet, but he has been a commendable leader and presence on the defense.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers originally released Vince Williams back in March to create cap space. They did sign him back in April on a smaller deal, but Vince Williams decided to retire from football three months later. General Manager Kevin Colbert posted the news and reaction on Twitter:
Why did Vince Williams retire?
Vince Williams' played 14 games (all starts) last season and registered 70 tackles, a career-high 14 tackles for loss, and three sacks. He could have played at a high level if he had returned for 2021. So why did he retire so suddenly?
His age could have been a factor as eight years in the league can take a toll on the body and the body takes longer to recover as you get older.
Some speculated it was due to the team releasing him and giving him less money. He was due to make $4 million in the final year of his deal but then signed a one-year deal worth $1.075 million to return to the team.
If he had indeed taken the release personally, he wouldn't have signed the smaller deal. Vince Williams probably realized that this was the best time to retire with a clean bill of health.
With Williams out, the Pittsburgh Steelers need a starting ILB opposite Devin Bush. An immediate option could be Robert Spillane, who played well as a replacement for the injured Devin Bush. Veteran Marcus Allen and rookie Buddy Johnson could also be in the mix as well during training camp.
Williams has been a great player for the team and the town of Pittsburgh, becoming a fan favorite. We wish Williams well in retirement.
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