T.J. Lang's NFL career is officially over after 10 seasons.
The guard announced Friday that he's retiring.
"For the past 3,624 days I have woken up with one goal in mind -- How can I be a better pro football player than I was yesterday?" Lang penned. "Well, those days are now over. The only thing I ask myself today is how can I be a better husband, father, son, brother, friend. I will forever cherish the great times that I had playing this game. Thank you, Green Bay Packers for taking a chance on a 21-year-old kid and giving me the opportunity and patience to grow into a man and reach my full potential as a football player. Thank you, Detroit Lions for granting me a chance to finish my career in the place that I call home. It would've been impossible to play this game for 10 years without great teammates, coaches, trainers, strength staff, doctors, agents, fans, family and friends. I thank each and every one of you for the unwavering support over the years. Whatever the next chapter holds, I hope to stay around the game in some capacity. It's been an amazing ride. Thank you all for being a part of it."
Lang was drafted by the Packers in the fourth round of the 2009 draft out of Eastern Michigan. After playing a reserve role his first two seasons, including a Super Bowl XLV victory, he grew into one of the top pass-protecting guards in the NFL during his run in Green Bay.
Lang remained one of the better guards in the NFL but injuries marred the end of his career, eventually leading to retirement. The 31-year-old missed 10 games in 2018 due to neck, back and multiple concussion issues. The Lionsreleased Lang earlier this month after two seasons.
One of the more gregarious players in the NFL, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Lang resurface in a media capacity at some point down the line. At the very least, he's a very good Twitter follow.
