Former New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley announced he was retiring from the NFL in a social media post he shared earlier today, which also happens to be his 33rd birthday. This comes after he was released by the Jets in March.
“When you play with that kind of love… it makes you want to keep going, no matter what the result is,” Mosely said in the video he posted on Instagram. “Once upon a time, a kid from Mobile, Alabama had a dream to do great things on the football field. I followed you my whole life, not knowing where you would take me. To envision myself as a Ray Lewis or a Brian Urlacher was just the first steps of this 11-year journey. You opened doors that I once only dreamed of. You gave me passion. You gave me strength, self-endurance, pain, and most importantly, the DNA to trust and lead men.”
“Today, it is time to wake up from my childhood dream and share it with the next generation,” he concluded. “I spent my whole life and career building my legacy. Now, it’s time to start a new chapter with new dreams. It won’t be easy, but I’m here to tell you every sacrifice is worth it. When you wake up, what will your legacy look like?”
Following a stellar high school career in Theodore, Alabama, where he finished as the second-ranked player from the state in his recruiting class, Mosley accepted an offer to play college football for the University of Alabama. During his four-year stint with the Crimson Tide, he won two national championships in 2011 and 2012. He was also named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a Unanimous All-American in 2013, the same year he won the Butkus Award, which is given to the best linebacker in college annually.
C.J. Mosley calls it a career 5⃣7⃣
▪️1st round pick
▪️11 seasons
▪️5x All-Pro
▪️5x Pro Bowler
▪️1,000+ tacklesOne of the great ones. Congrats, @TreyDeuce32RTR
via mosley32rtr/IG pic.twitter.com/REhNk5sU43
— Bobby Trosset (@bobbybaltim0re) June 19, 2025
After leaving Alabama, Mosley entered the NFL Draft, where he was taken by the Baltimore Ravens with the 17th overall pick. He immediately made an impact, earning Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro honors as a rookie while compiling 133 total tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, and two interceptions in his first year as a pro. From 2016 to 2018, he was named to three consecutive Pro Bowls and earned Second-Team All-Pro honors all three years.
Following a five-year tenure with the Ravens, C.J. Mosley signed a five-year, $85 million deal with the New York Jets in March of 2019. Despite only playing in two games during his first two seasons with the Jets, he started in 50 of New York’s next 51 games, earning himself his fifth Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro honors in 2022.
Unfortunately, C.J. Mosely had to deal with neck and toe injuries, which forced him to miss 13 games last season. Due to lingering injuries and age, the Jets released him on March 12th, 2025.
C.J. Mosley will finish his career with 1,083 total tackles, which ranks 69th all-time. His 687 career solo tackles rank 67th all-time, ahead of guys like Tedy Bruschi, Michael Strahan, Terrell Suggs, James Harrison, and Troy Polamalu.
