Ryan Kerrigan reflects on NFL career and what’s next in retirement

Washington Football legend Ryan Kerrigan retired after signing a one-day contract with the Commanders on Friday. Saturday, Kerrigan reflected on 11-year NFL career, the first 10 of which he spent with Washington.

Kerrigan acknowledged he probably should have walked away from football after the 2020 season, his last with Washington. He’d received a “not-so-good” diagnosis on his knee. However, he wasn’t emotionally ready to move on at that point. Instead, he played last season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

After last season, he gained peace with moving on from the playing chapter of his life.

“I gave them everything I had. Literally everything I had. Emotionally, physically, they got all of me. Football-wise, football was my life,” Kerrigan said to fans about his career (h/t NBC Sports Washington).

During his 10 seasons in Washington, Kerrigan recorded 95.5 sacks, becoming the Commanders all-time sack leader. He had 26 forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries while returning all three of his interceptions for touchdowns.

In Philadelphia, Kerrigan appeared in 16 games last season. He didn’t record a sack throughout the regular season. He did have 1.5 sacks in the Eagles’ wild card playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

His playing days are behind him. But, Kerrigan isn’t ready to leave the game of football.

“I think more than anything, it’s Saturday morning in July and I don’t have to hit anyone,” Kerrigan said per Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. “I want to stay in football in some capacity. I think coaching would be a good route.”

He elaborated more by saying coaching is something he wants to explore. He referenced he got a taste of coaching in recent years being the team’s elder statesman.

In a lot of ways, Kerrigan may be considered the last great Washington prior to the team’s name change. He closes the book on a legacy under the previous Redskins name, as the team moves forward under the Commanders.

The Commanders officially placed Kerrigan on the reserve/retired list Saturday. He stuck around Washington’s facility to watch the current team practice. His cleats are hung up for good. But, from the sounds of things, Kerrigan’s name will resurface somewhere in football.