Five games into his first season with the Saints, Chris Hogan is saying goodbye to both New Orleans and the NFL. Signed this offseason as wide receiver depth, the 32-year-old pass catcher was placed Saturday on the reserve/retired list, as NFL Media noted, officially closing the book on a career that spanned eight teams and more than 10 years.
Undrafted out of Monmouth in 2011, Hogan started one game for the Saints this year, mostly appearing as a reserve while contributing four catches for 41 yards, as well as a touchdown in New Orleans' Week 1 upset of the Packers. This came after signing a one-year deal with the Saints back in July, which followed a brief stint in the Premier Lacrosse League.
Hogan is perhaps best known for his run as a starting wide receiver in the AFC East. From 2011-2012, the New Jersey native bounced between offseason and practice squad rosters with the 49ers, Giants and Dolphins, then finally latched on with the Bills. He broke out as a reserve in 2014 with 41 catches and four touchdowns, then parlayed a 450-yard 2015 campaign into a three-year contract with the rival Patriots. Upon arrival in New England, Hogan quickly became a steady target for Tom Brady, logging a career-high 680 yards in 14 starts during the Patriots' Super Bowl-winning 2016 season.
Hogan played three total seasons in New England, winning another Super Bowl in 2018 when he helped the club beat the Chiefs with four catches in the AFC Championship. He then spent 2019 with the Panthers, appearing in just five games before undergoing knee surgery, and 2020 with the Jets, playing five games while battling an ankle injury.
Hogan finishes his NFL career with a combined 220 catches for 2,836 yards and 19 touchdowns.
