The New England Patriots decided to part ways with one of the final remaining players from their last Super Bowl run over the offseason.
Back in March, the Patriots announced they had released veteran center David Andrews, making the two-time champion a free agent. Andrews was held to just four appearances for New England during the 2024 campaign as he dealt with a shoulder issue that required surgery.
While Andrews maintained at the end of the 2024 season that he would give it his all to come back from the injury that sidelined him for the majority of what ultimately was his final year as a Patriot, the eight-time team captain announced on Wednesday that he has elected to retire from the NFL rather than try to play for a franchise other than New England.
David Andrews Announces Retirement After Offseason Release
"Look, I know this is a tough business; the organization might come to me and tell me it's time to move on. I might get into OTAs or training camp and know I can't do it," Andrews said at the end of the 2024 season, via ESPN. "If the organization decides to go in a different way, that's their choice and I hope that's not the case. I want to play football. I've done this for a long time -- 26 years -- and I'd like to make it 27 and see where it goes from there. I'm going to try to do it."
As noted in the social media post from the Patriots' team account, Andrews' career in New England will be celebrated this coming Monday, June 2. Given everything that Andrews provided the organization, both on and off the field, this will undoubtedly be an emotional press conference for all parties involved.
After rising to prominence with the Patriots after making the team as an undrafted free agent, what Andrews was able to accomplish during his NFL career is a testament to the "Patriot Way."