Jordan Hicks worked as a full-time starter with the Browns last season, and he was in position to do the same again in 2025. Instead, the veteran linebacker is hanging up his cleats. 
Hicks announced on Instagram Friday (via Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal) that he has retired. One year remains on his contract, but today’s news means Cleveland will likely be in the market for a linebacker addition. The team was already shorthanded at that spot given Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah‘s reserve/PUP designation in May which ensured he will miss all of the coming season.
“After 23 years of playing football, I’m officially retiring from the NFL,” Hicks’ announcement reads in part. “Football has given me more than I could have ever imagined… I’m looking forward to this next season of life and all that it brings. I walk away with peace knowing I gave football all I had, and that the best is yet to come.”
Hicks, 33, entered the NFL as an Eagles third-rounder. He played out his rookie contract with Philadelphia, establishing himself as a regular first-team presence on defense. The Texas product then spent three years with the Cardinals, logging over 1,000 snaps in each campaign. Hicks was released in 2022, but his time on the free agent market proved to be short-lived.
A two-year Vikings pact allowed Hicks to operate as a starter with his third career team. While in Minnesota, he reached triple-digit tackles both times, extending his streak in that regard to five years. Hicks took a two-year, $8MM pact to join the Browns last March, and he was a regular when healthy in 2024. Injury resulted in just 12 games played, but a notable snap share would have been expected this time around (especially with Owusu-Koramoah not in the picture for 2025).
Cleveland’s linebacker depth chart also includes Devin Bush, although the former first-rounder is facing simple assault and harassment charges from an alleged domestic violence incident. Even if Bush does wind up playing a full campaign in 2025, today’s news means the Browns will need to rely even more on second-round rookie Carson Schwesinger as a starter than they were already in position to. It will be interesting to see if the team pursues a short-term veteran signing in the near future.
A member of the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning team from 2017, Hicks will depart the NFL after playing 138 combined regular and postseason games. In addition to a championship, he exits the game with over $44MM in career earnings.
Eagles Legend. Enjoy retirement, Jordan.
Third round steal, when healthy.
I was so pissed when we let him walk but I understood it after the injury history.
I thought he was 1 of 4 players the SF Giants traded to the Red Sox for Devers.
Me also!
Maybe you shouldn’t comment on football then. Hicks was a really good player when healthy with both the Eagles and Cards. More than decent with the Vikings, too.
Jordan Hicks brother and agent have entered the chat:
It’s true; Jordan Hicks did indeed play for the Cards.
Wait, who were we talking about again?
Retired from the Browns or Football all together?
Dang i mean whose even out there as a FA? Where’s a good accurate and updated free agency list.
Other names will pop up as teams shed payroll and make cuts during camp. But a few names I can think of: Josey Jewell (if healthy), Kyzir White (was visiting some team recently, don’t think he signed yet), Matthew Judon (probably prefers a contender), Sione Takitaki (ex-Brown would make a ton of sense but I haven’t seen him mentioned at all lately)
Good Luck Jordan!
It seemed to me like he was one of those guys that his team was always trying to replace. Good for him to get to exit on his own terms.