Former Patriots Running Back Dion Lewis Retires From NFL
BOSTON (CBS) -- Dion Lewis is calling it a career. The former Patriots running back is retiring from the NFL.
News of Lewis' retirement comes via ESPN's Adam Schefter, who reports that Lewis is stepping away from the game despite interest from teams. Lewis was a free agent after spending the last season with the New York Giants.
The 5-foot-8 running back played three seasons in New England, winning a Super Bowl with the Patriots when the team made its epic comeback over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. The Patriots signed Lewis to a futures contract in 2014 after he bounced around with the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts for the first four years of his career.
Lewis quickly fit in as New England's pass-catching back when he made the team in 2015, and became a fan favorite with an incredible touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4 of that season.
Dion Lewis is retiring, lets always remember this amazing effort against the #Cowboys in 2015. pic.twitter.com/lCzmJbqKrS
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 13, 2021
He had five receiving touchdowns and eight rushing touchdowns in a Patriots uniform, with his best season coming in 2017 when he ran for 896 yards and six touchdowns and caught 32 of the 35 passes that went his way for another three scores. The former fifth-round pick parlayed that big season into a four-year, $20 million contract from the Tennessee Titans when he hit free agency after the season.
Lewis was released by the Titans in March of 2020, and ended up playing all 16 games for the Giants last season.
He wasn't in New England for very long, but the diminutive Lewis left a big impact on Patriots fans in his three seasons with the team.