Linebacker A.J. Hawk, the 5th overall player taken in the 2006 NFL draft who played in one game and was inactive for two others this season for the Atlanta Falcons, announced his retirement on Thursday.

Hawk told Albert Breer of The MMQB that he planned to file his retirement papers.

Hawk, who also played for the Green Bay Packers (2006-14) and Cincinnati Bengals (2015), was signed on Oct. 4 to provide depth at linebacker and play on special teams after a rash of injuries.

He played 19 snaps on special teams in the 23-16 win over the Denver Broncos on Oct. 9. He didn’t play in subsequent games against Seattle and San Diego before being released on Oct. 25.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, who was with Minnesota last season, signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks in free agency. (George Walker IV/AP)

Credit: AP

Featured

Austin Walters died from an overdose in 2021 after taking a Xanax pill laced with fentanyl, his father said. A new law named after Austin and aimed at preventing deaths from fentanyl has resulted in its first convictions in Georgia, prosecutors said. (Family photo)

Credit: Family photo