BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns starting linebacker Jordan Hicks is retiring after 10 seasons in the NFL, he announced on Instagram on Friday morning.
Hicks, 33, missed the first two days of training camp with what the team called a personal matter.
"Football has given me more than I could have ever imagined," Hicks wrote in his post. "Purpose, discipline, brotherhood, and a platform to impact others. But most importantly it showed me who I am outside the game.
"I leave this chapter with deep gratitude for every lesson, challenge, and victory. I'm proud of what I accomplished on the field, but even more proud of the man I've become because of it."
Hicks was expected to enter his second season in Cleveland as a leader in the middle of the defense, especially given the loss of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who was placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and will miss the 2025 season because of a neck injury he suffered last October. Hicks' retirement leaves the Browns without their top two inside linebackers from the previous season.
With Hicks' retirement, Devin Bush, Mohamoud Diabate and second-round pick Carson Schwesinger sit atop the linebacker depth chart. Cleveland this offseason also signed veteran linebacker Jerome Baker, who has started 90 games in seven seasons.
"When you lose a player due to injury or retirement or whatever, there's opportunities that come up for younger players and in this day and age, young players play early at these positions," coach Kevin Stefanski said before Friday's practice. "They may be counted on and that's why we're working so hard. That's why we're trying to be efficient with everything we do, maximize every rep and minute that we have with these young men to get them ready to play."
"I'm truly just happy for him, just to leave on your own terms, do it the way you want to do it. Just having a great career," Baker added.
Hicks was a third-round pick of the Eagles in the 2015 NFL draft and spent the first four seasons of his career in Philadelphia, winning a Super Bowl in 2018. He then had stints with the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings, accumulating five consecutive 100-tackle seasons before he signed with the Browns and reunited with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who was his DC in Philadelphia.
In his 10-year career, Hicks recorded 952 tackles, 16.5 sacks and 13 interceptions in 134 games played (131 starts).
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.