Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Jason Ferguson is retiring, the team announced Thursday.
Ferguson spent 13 NFL seasons with the Dolphins, New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys, recording 21.5 sacks, 12 passes defensed, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Ferguson, who played the last two seasons in Miami, said in a statement released by the Dolphins that he's appreciative of their support throughout his career. He said he's thankful for his extended family, which includes the teammates, coaches and support staffs "that have all played a part of a great ride."
"You get what you put into this game," Ferguson said. "I would like to thank my family, the fans and the organizations that I have been a part of for their continued support throughout my career. It's been an absolute blessing to play this long."
The Dolphins' support that Ferguson mentioned seemed to be strong, even in the face of adversity.
Ferguson, 35, was sidelined with a season-ending quadriceps injury in November and underwent surgery one month later. Then in March, Ferguson learned he was suspended for the first eight games of the upcoming season for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances, the second infraction of his career (the first resulted in a four-game suspension in 1999). But that didn't stop the Dolphins from re-signing Ferguson as a free agent this offseason.
Dolphins executive vice president of football operations Bill Parcells said in the team's statement that Ferguson was a key contributor in "one of the NFL's toughest jobs."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
