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Veteran NFL linebacker announces immediate retirement at 30
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- Veteran NFL linebacker announces immediate retirement at 30
Anthony Walker Jr., who played the last of his nine NFL seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2025, announced his immediate retirement from football in a post to his Instagram account April 2.
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"THANK YOU FOOTBALL!" Walker wrote. "God, I don't know how and why but thank you for all You've done and will do for me. Thank you football for 26 years of blood, sweat and tears."
Walker played 101 games for the Indianapolis Colts (2017-20), Cleveland Browns (2021-23), Miami Dolphins (2024), and Buccaneers (2025) in his career. Walker retires with 5.5 sacks, four interceptions, two forced fumbles, and 581 combined tackles, including 26 for a loss.
A Miami native, the Colts originally drafted Walker with their fifth-round pick out of Northwestern in 2017. He played four seasons in Indianapolis and started all 16 games in each of his last two seasons.
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Walker signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with Cleveland in March 2021. He then re-signed one-year contracts with the Browns the next two years.
After Walker spent the 2024 season in Miami, the Colts brought him onto their practice squad for the 2025 season. However, he never appeared in a game with Indianapolis before the Buccaneers claimed him on December 15.
Jun 11, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (3) works out at One Buc Place. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Walker's retirement announcement drew a range of congratulatory comments on his Instagram post, including from the Colts' and Dolphins' official accounts.
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"Congrats boy," former Browns teammate Rashard Higgins wrote. "God have your way in this next phase of life for him."
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"Proud of you bro!" former Colts teammate Shaquille Leonard wrote. "Congratulations on a hell of a career!" Former Colts teammate Zaire Franklin also chimed in, saying, "Real PRO 💯 Well Done looking forward to the next chapter,"
Oct 17, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns middle linebacker Anthony Walker (4) enters the field before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
"My OG! Appreciate you for everything brudda 4L," former Browns teammate Tony Fields II wrote. former Browns teammate Jedrick Wills Jr . added, "Congrats big bru! Blessings 🙏🏽"
