Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVante Parker announced his retirement on Monday night after a nine-year career in the NFL.
Parker, who was eager to join the Eagles, decided to retire to dedicate more time to his family, which includes his four children.
“I want to see my kids, spend quality time with them,” Parker said. “I want to be there for them whenever I can.”
Throughout his career, Parker recorded 369 catches, totaling 5,266 yards and 27 touchdowns.
At 31, Parker is looking forward to the future, though he has no immediate professional plans.
“I’m just going to take things slowly,” he said.
Reflecting on his career, Parker emphasized the relationships he built along the way.
“The camaraderie. The brotherhood in the locker room on whichever team it was. Everyone always welcomed me with open arms, and I appreciated them for that,” he said.
Parker expressed gratitude to the Miami Dolphins, who drafted him, as well as the other teams he played for.
“I also appreciate the Dolphins for drafting me and giving me the opportunity. I always will have love for the Dolphins and their organization,” he said. “And I want to thank all the teams — the Patriots and the Eagles too. But the Dolphins were the first team, and I really want to thank them.”
Jimmy Gould, Parker’s longtime agent and chairman of Management One, commented on Parker’s retirement.
“It will continue to be an honor to represent DeVante as he moves forward toward that next chapter of his life,” Gould said.
