Packers linebacker Whitney Mercilus retires at age 31

Green Bay Packers linebacker Whitney Mercilus of Akron, Ohio has retired at the age of 31. Mercilus played 10 seasons in the National Football League with the Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers.

Mercilus shared his time with the Texans and Packers in 2021. He was signed by the Packers on October 21, after being released by the Texans on October 19.

In 10 games last season, Mercilus had 17 combined tackles (nine solo tackles and eight assisted tackles), five tackles for a loss, five quarterback hits, and four sacks. In the four sacks Mercilus had in 2021, two came in his team’s victories. They came in a 37-21 Texans win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 12 to begin the 2021 National Football League regular season, and again on November 14 in a 17-0 Packers shutout win over the Seattle Seahawks.

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For his career, Mercilus had 362 combined tackles (237 solo tackles and 125 assisted tackles), 73 tackles for a loss, 117 quarterback hits, two interceptions for 88 yards, seven pass deflections, 13 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries for 14 yards and 58 sacks. Both of Mercilus’s interceptions with the Texans came in the 2019 regular season. He had one interception in a 30-28 Texans loss to the New Orleans Saints on September 9, and another interception in a 24-21 Texans win over the Tennessee Titans on December 15.

Mercilus played his collegiate football with the University of Illinois. In 2011, he won the Bill Willis Trophy, which is presented to the best defensive lineman in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and the Ted Hendricks Award, which is presented to the best defensive end in the NCAA. Mercilus was then the Texans’s first round pick, 26th overall, in the 2012 NFL Draft.

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