Former New England Patriots wide receiver Joejuan Williams announced his retirement from the NFL in an Instagram post May 15.
Williams, 28, played 42 games in four NFL seasons with the Patriots (2019-21), Chicago Bears (2023) and Minnesota Vikings (2023).
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Williams’ last shot in the league came in August 2024 with the New Orleans Saints, but he was released after one week without appearing in a regular-season game.
Nonetheless, he did not indicate his decision to retire until this week.
“At 5 years old I said ill be in the NFL,” he wrote on Instagram. “You accomplished your dream J. Now it’s time to help others accomplish theirs.
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“Thank You God for blessing me with this ability. And thank you football for changing my life forever. I came from nothing. This game transformed my life, gave me purpose, discipline, memories, relationships, and experiences I’ll carry forever.”
“Thank you to every Coach that worked with me, Every teammate I shared the field with, And the support from my family, friends and fans.”
“Now the same dream I once chased and accomplished… It’s time to impact the game by helping others accomplish theirs. Excited for this next chapter. Forever grateful for the journey.”
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A second-round pick (45th overall) by the Patriots out of Vanderbilt in 2019, Williams played 36 games in his first three seasons in the NFL, starting one.
Williams saw action in two playoff games with New England: a 20-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans in January 2020, and a 47-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills in January 2022. He recorded six tackles across the two games.
In college, Williams was a second-team all-SEC selection in 2018 with the Commodores.
A native of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Williams was a four-star recruit in high school. He transferred from Father Ryan High School in Nashville to Hendersonville High School for his senior year, but the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association ruled him ineligible to play football because players transferring from a private to a public school must move to a school at least 20 miles away from their former school.