After spending six seasons in the NFL, offensive lineman Shane Lemieux has decided to hang up his cleats for good.
Lemieux was selected by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He appeared in 12 games as a rookie and then suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2021. The Oregon product then had stints with the New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks before calling it a career.
Even though he's only 28 years old, Lemieux announced on LinkedIn that he's done playing in the NFL due to all the injuries he's sustained since 2020.
"Today I am announcing my retirement from the NFL after 6 seasons. After graduating from the University of Oregon and being drafted by the New York Giants, I had dreams of a 10+ year, All-Pro career. I believed I could get there. But after 5 surgeries and more time in the training room than on the field, the game started to look different to me. That is why I am deciding to step away with the health that I have," Lemieux said.
"While I didn’t achieve that goal, the lessons I learned through the injuries, the releases, and finally getting back on the field mean more to me going forward than any accolade ever could have. And the relationships built along the way have been the most impactful of all. I am thankful for the game. I’ve dedicated my life to football, and it has rewarded me immensely. But I’ve always seen myself as more than a football player, and I’m ready to show the world just that."
© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images.
Shane Lemieux had an incredible run at Oregon.
Although his NFL career didn't play out the way he hoped it would, Lemieux was truly a difference maker at Oregon. He was named first-team All-American as a junior and a second-team All-American as a senior.
Injuries may have prevented Lemieux from reaching his full potential at the NFL, but he was considered an iron man for the Ducks. In fact, he started 52 consecutive games at left guard.
We're wishing Lemieux all the best as he enters the next chapter of his career.
