The Buffalo Bills were on the receiving end of some pretty stunning news on Wednesday. Veteran linebacker Christian Kirksey advised his team of his sudden decision to retire barely a month into his tenure with the Bills. The 31-year-old joined the team’s practice squad in late August, but has failed to crack the rotation. Kirksey did not play in either of Buffalo’s first two games of the season.
Buffalo Bills LB Christian Kirksey Retires
Kirksey reportedly advised the team of his decision to call it a career on Thursday. There are no reports of the former Iowa standout dealing with any sort of injury. However, it appears that his decision to retire stems from his inability to crack the lineup.
Kirksey joined the Bills in the offseason after being released by the Houston Texans. He spent the past two years in Houston, starting 29 out of the 30 games he played for the Texans.
Kirksey started his career with the Cleveland Browns, who selected him in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He also played one season with the Green Bay Packers in 2020.
Sean McDermott Reacts to Christian Kirksey Retirement
Much like the rest of us, Bills head coach Sean McDermott was also surprised by Kirksey’s sudden decision. However, the Buffalo coach expressed how much appreciation he has for the linebacker in spite of the limited time they spent together with the team.
According to McDermott, Kirksey indicated that he would know that it’s time to call it a career if he’s no longer able to suit up on Sundays. Nevertheless, the Bills shot-caller had nothing but good things to say about the vet:
“He’s a class act and he made us better while he was here,” McDermott said, via Michael David Smith of PFT.
McDermott went on to say that he completely understands where Kirksey is coming from and that he respects the player’s decision:
“I certainly understand his situation. He’s played, he’s used to playing, and he has his reasons for it, and I respect him for it,” McDermott said. “He’s all class. I heard so many good things about him before he came here. We tried to get him a few times before, I think via free agency, and he went elsewhere, but I just wish we could’ve gotten him a little bit earlier in his career. I appreciate all he brought to us and the time and the sacrifice while he was here.”
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