HENDERSON (KTNV) — Las Vegas Raiders offensive lineman Richie Incognito will retire after nearly two decades in the NFL.
Incognito made the announcement at the Silver and Black’s Henderson headquarters on Friday.
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He did not start for the Raiders since an Achilles injury took him out for the season in 2020. A subsequent calf injury took him out of play for the 2021 season, too.
He was drafted in 2005 by the then-St. Louis Rams, and was released in 2009 after he was called for a league-high seven personal fouls and had a spat with the head coach.
Incognito was signed by the Raiders in 2019 after tumultuous exits from the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins, stemming from allegations of misconduct both on and off the field.
A controversial career also had bright spots for Incognito. He played in four Pro Bowls and started in 164 games. In 2016, he was listed no. 97 on the NFL’s Top 100.
His full statement announcing his league retirement can be read below:
This is my final chapter. Since I played my first snap at 12 years old, nothing in my life was more important than football. The game always came first. Football has taught me a strong work ethic, a willingness to get better every day and a desire to continue growing. It has taught me that while what you get is important, who you become is more important. All of these lessons I’ll take with me into the next chapter, because today I’m officially retiring from the NFL.
Everybody starts their NFL journey differently. …It’s a willingness to sacrifice daily and dedicate yourself to the thousand micro-decisions that lead to winning and will carry you far in this league, where nothing is guaranteed. I owe my single-minded focus to my father and the gift of grit and perseverance to my mother. While those have been foundational to my career, it was perhaps most importantly their unconditional love that gave me the confidence to believe in myself. I’ll never be able to repay them for that. With sacrifice comes adversity. While I wouldn’t change those long hours in the gym and on the field, I’m excited for the wide-open ventures ahead of me — take a vacation when I want, go back to school to get my MBA, spend more time with family and friends. After stepping away from football in 2018, I knew if I came back it would be to finish out my career on my terms. It also had to be with the right team, which I found in the Raiders. There was always hesitancy in coming back when you’ve been out of the game, but after a tryout with the Raiders, I immediately knew it was the place for me. It made my hungry to come back. It felt like home the minute I got here. I’d played so long, I’d gotten this bad boy reputation throughout the years — it just fit with the Raiders. They trusted who I was and they let me play, and I played my ass off for them.
What I’ll miss most, though, is the brotherhood, the camaraderie — eating with the boys, hanging together, having barbecues over at Colton (Miller)’s house. I’ll miss being with my teammates, especially with the Silver and Black. It was empowering to have them trust me to bring stability, leadership and work ethic to this young group of guys. Andre James, Colton Miller, I don’t want to say they owe me everything — but they owe me everything. I love the Raiders organization. Mr. (Mark) Davis means the world to me. After four teams and 15 years I’m retiring — officially — as a Raider.
