Former Chief Jeremy Maclin remembers Kansas City in retirement remarks

As we learned over the past weekend, former Kansas City Chiefs (and Missouri Tigers) wide receiver Jeremy Maclin has decided to retire from the NFL after eight seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens.

On Thursday, Maclin released a farewell statement on Twitter detailing the injuries he has sustained in recent years that ultimately led to his decision to retire. Maclin said it all began in 2016.

“It was my last season in Kansas City. I had huge expectations of myself coming off the two best seasons of my career. During that season, I lost a childhood friend and a family member. I also tore my groin off the bone. I had the worst season of my career, then got released the following May — two weeks after my wedding — via voice mail.”

In 2017 — his first season in Baltimore — the problems continued.

“I thought I was mentally ready to go. I will admit that although my mental perspective got better that season, it wasn’t where it used to be. During my season in Baltimore, I played with two strained quads, battle with stingers that resulted in a ‘dead shoulder,’ and on what I thought was my last catch of the season, I tore my MCL.”

Maclin said that instead, it turned out to be the last catch of his career.

Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images

Since the spring of the following year — when the Ravens released him — he said he has battled additional physical problems that prevent him from moving his leg or bending over without pain. Still, Maclin said that the experience has made him a stronger person, and he is excited for the next chapter of his life.

After specifically thanking Chiefs head coach Andy Reid — head coach of the Eagles when they drafted him in 2009 — for “taking a chance and drafting me,” Maclin then thanked a group of Eagles teammates and staff, and turned to his good years with the Chiefs.

“To the Kansas City organization and #ChiefsKingdom, I want to say thank you! It was a dream of mine to play back in my home state of Missouri. I called it ‘my ride down I-70.’ I’ll never forget the Justin Houston and [Eric Berry] pre-game speeches that got us going. I won’t forget walking out of the tunnel as a captain for our playoff game[s] in Houston and New England. I won’t forget extra workouts with Chris, Al and Reek, and their hunger to be great. I won’t forget sharing the field with the best and swaggiest tight end in the game who demanded greatness from everyone: Travis Kelce. I can keep going on and on. #ChiefsKingdom I love you, and I appreciate each and every one of you.”

Maclin also specifically thanked our in-house sports medicine expert, Aaron Borgman, who was a Chiefs and Eagles trainer while Maclin were with the teams. He thanked Aaron and “every training staff member that did whatever they could to get me ready for game day.”

Maclin had just one good year for the Chiefs: the 2015 season, in which he had 1,088 yards and eight touchdowns on 87 receptions. For his career, he finished with 6,835 yards on 514 catches and 49 touchdowns.

We wish him well.