SUMMARY
- Romeo Okwara has played in the NFL for eight seasons.
- Recently, Romeo Okwara announced his retirement from the sport.
After eight thundering seasons in the NFL, Detroit Lions defensive end Romeo Okwara retired from the game at the age of 28. The sudden retirement news of Lions No. 95 came as a shock to NFL fans. Okwara played in the league from 2016 to 2023, wearing the jerseys of the New York Giants and Detroit Lions. The former defensive end played high school football for Ardey Kell.
Later, Romeo Okwara moved to the University of Notre Dame. In the 2016 NFL draft, he remained undrafted but was signed by the Giants on May 6, 2016. The following season, on October 17, 2017, he suffered a knee injury and joined the injury-reserved team. Two months later, on December 19, 2017, Okwara again joined the active roster’s squad.
#Lions DE Romeo Okwara announces he’s stepping away from the game of football: pic.twitter.com/enLBdkjSKw
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 19, 2024
Although the Giants waived him on September 4, 2018, he joined the Lions just a day later, on September 5, 2018. Finally, in an emotional Instagram post on March 19, 2024, Okwara wrote, “After some introspection and meditation I have decided to step away from the NFL.” The defensive end in his NFL career proved to be lethal for his two clubs.
How much did Romeo Okwara earn in his NFL career?
The former NFL defensive end signed a professional contract with the New York Giants worth $1,635,000. The deal included a $15,000 signing bonus and a guaranteed amount; the annual average salary was $545,000. Okwara then moved to the Detroit Lions in 2018 and signed another big-money deal worth $6,800,000.
The contract includes a $2,705,000 signing bonus and a $3,425,000 guaranteed sum. Therefore, his annual average salary was $3,400,000. Okwara’s last official contract was worth $37,000,000 by extending his stay at the franchise.
The deal contains another gainful amount of $14,000,000 and $25,000,000 as a signing bonus and guaranteed sum. During eight seasons in the league, the 28-year-old earned $36,855,601 in total.
Romeo Okwara’s NFL stats and achievements
From 2016 to 2023, Romeo Okwara participated in 92 fixtures with the Giants and Lions during the regular season. Okwara made 162 total tackles, including 96 solo tackles, and assisted 66 tackles. The defensive tackle also performed 25 sacks and six forced fumbles.
In terms of the postseason, Okwara appeared in four games and performed three tackles, including two solo tackles and one assist tackle. However, the quarterback has not achieved any individual or collective notable award in his entire career.