Veteran safety Tony Jefferson announced his retirement from playing professional football on Thursday. However, Jefferson isn’t walking away from NFL anytime soon and will become a scout for the Baltimore Ravens.
Jefferson confirmed his decision to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, saying that being a scout is “something he’s always desired once done playing.”
Tony Jefferson entered the league in 2013 as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals. He spent four years with the Cardinals before embarking on stints with the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, and the New York Giants.
Back in 2019, Jefferson’s career was in danger as he suffered an ACL injury that required four surgeries. He ended up missing the entire 2020 season as a result.
Jefferson played nine games with the Giants in 2022, finishing the campaign with 23 tackles and one pass deflection. The 31-year-old player totaled 492 tackles, 24 passes defended, 9.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, and four interceptions over the course of his career.
Prior to retiring, Jefferson reportedly thought about switching positions in order to extend his time in NFL. He bulked up during the offseason with the intention to play linebacker but ended up opting to take the scouting gig when it was offered to him by the Ravens.
