Cole Beasley's return to the NFL lasted just two games.
The 33-year-old Buccaneers wide receiver has decided to retire after 11 NFL seasons, NFL Network Insiders Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero reported on Wednesday.
“He is ready to be with his family after playing in 11 seasons and it’s time to be a full-time dad and husband,” Beasley's agent, Justin Turner, told Garafolo and Pelissero.
Beasley's career began as an undrafted free agent in Dallas, where he developed into a quality secondary receiver for the Cowboys over seven seasons. Beasley caught 319 passes for 3,271 yards and 23 touchdowns from 2012-2018, serving as a reliable slot target opposite a rotating cast of pass-catchers headlined by Dez Bryant. Beasley remained in Dallas long enough to catch significant passes from both Tony Romo and Dak Prescott before leaving the Cowboys to join the upstart Bills in 2019.
Beasley spent three years in Buffalo, catching 67 or more passes in each campaign and recording 2,438 yards and 11 touchdowns as a Bill. He began 2022 as a free agent, signing with the injury-ravaged Buccaneers in September and appearing in two contests, catching four passes for 17 yards before calling it quits.
The SMU product joins Emmanuel Sanders as the second former Mustangs standout receiver to walk away from the NFL this year. He leaves with a productive professional career of which he can be proud.