The Cleveland Browns are entering an important season. The Browns are coming off a 3-14 campaign in 2024, and the jobs of head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry are on the line. Cleveland avoided disaster with Myles Garrett’s trade request, but there are still several hurdles to climb – including the quarterback position – before they can return to being contenders in the AFC North.
With that being said, the Browns will need everyone to be contributors in the upcoming season, but some players are having second thoughts about another year. A Browns defender took his time deciding whether he wanted to play this season, but announced his retirement on Friday after his absence during the first week of training camp.
Browns Linebacker Jordan Hicks Announces His Retirement
Jordan Hicks was away from the Browns during the first week of camp due to personal reasons. But after a week of deliberation, he’s decided to hang up his cleats.
“After 23 years of playing football, I’m officially retiring from the NFL,” Hicks said in a statement on his Instagram account. “Football has given me more than I could have ever imagined. Purpose discipline, brotherhood and a platform to impact others. But most important, it showed me who I am outside of the game. I leave this chapter with deep gratitude for every lesson, challenge and victory. I’m proud of what I accomplished on the field but even more proud of the man I’ve become because of it.”
A third-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2015 draft, Hicks played 10 seasons in the NFL, also spending time with the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings. Hicks came to the Browns as a free agent last offseason and played in 12 games, recording 78 total tackles, four tackles for loss, a pair of sacks, and four pass defenses.
Pro Football Focus also gave Hicks a positive review for his performance in 2024, as he tied for 11th among 90 qualifying linebackers with an overall grade of 77.4. The 33-year-old also earned a 77.7 run defense grade (20th) and a 70.0 grade in coverage, allowing 23 catches for 158 scoreless yards with three pass breakups on 30 targets.
While Hicks is at peace with his decision, it adds another question to the Browns' defense. Cleveland is already down a linebacker as Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is out for the 2025 season with a neck injury sustained last year. Second-round pick Carson Schwesinger also will be up for a big role while Devin Bush is now projected to start at weakside linebacker.
Either way, the Browns must find a way to fix a defense that allowed the 10th-highest yards per play (5.6) and ranked 27th in scoring defense last season. If not, they could be under a new regime that could bring major changes.