A week after his release from the Dolphins, defensive lineman Chase Winovich announced on Instagram Tuesday that he's retiring from the NFL. The 28-year-old former third-round draft pick was in the middle of his fourth season.
"The time has come to serve the universe in other ways," Winovich wrote. "I consider myself beyond blessed and (am) deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to play the game I love in front of so many and on some of the world's biggest stages. To quote my friend Matthew Slater, 'We all owe football something,' and that I certainly do. And to quote my grandma, 'It's only bye for now.'"
The Patriots drafted Winovich out of Michigan with the No. 77 overall pick in 2019. He spent his first three seasons in New England, logging 5.5 sacks in each of his first two years along Bill Belichick's defensive line. Injuries cost him four games in 2021, and he was traded to the Browns in exchange for linebacker Mack Wilson the following offseason.
Winovich appeared in eight games for Cleveland in 2022, logging a single sack. He signed a one-year deal with the Texans this spring but was released as part of final roster cuts. The Dolphins subsequently added him to their practice squad and he appeared in three games as a scout-team elevation before his Oct. 17 release.
Before his NFL career, Winovich was a two-time All-Big-Ten selection for the Wolverines.