DeMarcus Lawrence, a veteran defensive end and Super Bowl champion, announced Friday that the 2026 NFL season will be his last. The 34-year-old, who will be completing his 13th year in the league, stated that he is looking forward to playing one more season before retiring.
"It was a tough process," Lawrence told Yahoo NFL reporter Jori Epstein. "But through the grace of God, I’m able to play another year and soak it all up one more good time before I hang it up."
Lawrence spent the majority of his career with the Dallas Cowboys after being selected by the team in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He earned an All-Pro selection and four Pro Bowl nods during his tenure with the Cowboys. In his final season, he played for the Seattle Seahawks, where he received a fifth Pro Bowl selection in 2025. With the Seahawks last season, Lawrence started all 16 games, recording six sacks, 53 tackles, and forcing three fumbles, two of which resulted in touchdowns. He also contributed two sacks and forced three fumbles during the team's playoff run.
Lawrence's career statistics include 503 total tackles, 67.5 sacks, 24 forced fumbles, and 21 pass deflections. His breakout season in 2017 saw him record 14.5 sacks, finishing fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He also secured a Super Bowl victory with the Seahawks in the 2025 season.