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Jaguars mainstay Posluszny retires after 11 seasons

JAGUARS.COM: Read Paul's letter to Jacksonville Jaguars fans 

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Paul Posluszny, the Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker who broke in with Buffalo in 2007, has called it quits after 11 seasons in the NFL.

Posluszny, 33, earned one Pro Bowl invitation (2013) and recorded 16 sacks. He has been with the Jaguars since the 2011 season.

A second-round draft pick by Buffalo in 2007, the former Penn State standout went 7-9 in his first two years with the Bills and figured a winning season - and a trip to the postseason - was on the horizon.

But his next eight years included three times as many losses (96) as wins (32), a humbling stretch that left him wondering when, and if, it would happen.

The Jaguars had the worst record (22-74) in the NFL during Posluszny's first six seasons in Jacksonville (2011-16).

"When I got here in 2011, I thought we were going to the playoffs because David Garrard was going to be our quarterback and we were going to have a great defense," Posluszny recalled. "And it just didn't unfold the way you thought.

"To be at the bottom and to finally fight our way, work our way and get back up, just to be in the position that we're at now, it's great and it shows you that we've finally started to earn the right to win. Now we want more."

11 year veteran, former Pro Bowl MLB and 5 time Jaguars defensive captain Paul Posluszny today announced his retirement from the NFL in the following letter ⤵️

Posted by Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Teammates and coaches want more for Posluszny, a consummate pro who does everything right on and off the field.

"It's amazing. It's whack because I know that it hasn't been because of him. You get what I'm saying?" Jaguars veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis said. "It sucks that a really good player like that - who does everything right, has never been fined, never complains, unselfish - has never had a winning season. You've got guys that don't even care about the game as much as he does riding the wave on some teams. It's (bull).

"It's good that he's experiencing this and is a pivotal piece of our team. That's one of the most important parts. He's not just a guy happy to be on a team with a jersey, barely making the team, on the bubble. No, he's a contributor and doing his thing. That's dope."

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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