NFL roster activity is starting to pick up across the league as free agency's mid-March opening draws closer. Every team like the Atlanta Falcons has already made decisions on which young or inexperienced contributors to bring back, and now the coming weeks will be focused on the futures of veterans in various places.
Though the franchises mostly hold the power, veterans with strong résumés or vast experience will be able to make calls on where they go next in 2025.
As it turns out, one accomplished former Falcon has made up his mind on not just the coming season, but his NFL playing career.
Former first-round safety and Pro Bowler Keanu Neal announces his retirement. pic.twitter.com/JdOzD7j8C7
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 23, 2025
On Sunday, former Atlanta safety Keanu Neal announced he is retiring from playing pro football. He gave a "big thank you" to the Falcons, who originally drafted him with the No. 17 overall selection in 2016, for taking a chance on him out of Florida.
Neal also tipped his cap the Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, all of whom he spent time with since leaving ATL. He made sure to give recognition to everyone he's coming across on his NFL journey, saying, "I am incredibly grateful for the coaches and teammates I had the privilege of working with along the way."
The former Florida Gators standout walks away from the league with a career many would love to have. He got to spend eight years in the NFL and started in a majority (69) of his total game day appearances (89) since entering the top level in 2016.
Neal quickly lived up to his high draft status, as the playmaking safety notched a Pro Bowl nod in just his second campaign after recording an interception, three forced fumbles, six passes defended and four tackles for loss in 2017.
Unfortunately, injuries halted Neal's promising start to his career, however. He was limited to only four games over the next two seasons, but showed resilience and bounced back in 2020 with another 100-yard tackle showing.
Neal never did totally regain his Pro Bowl form, though, as he bounced from Dallas to Tampa Bay to Pittsburgh over his final three years of game time. He was then released by the Steelers in March 2024 and failed to latch on with another team, allowing the veteran to move on to the next chapter of his life.