Patriots Super Bowl Champion Retires After Five NFL Seasons

Former New England Patriots running back Sony Michel has reached the end of his NFL career.

Michel, who won a Super Bowl with both the Patriots and the Rams, informed Los Angeles of his decision to retire from professional football Saturday after just five seasons, head coach Sean McVay told reporters, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Patriots selected Michel in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft and the Georgia product was integral to New England winning a Super Bowl during his rookie season. Michel rushed for 931 yards and six touchdowns during his first campaign, but he saved his best performances for that season's playoffs.

The Patriots handed the ball to Michel 71 times for 336 yards in three postseason games as he matched his regular-season total with six touchdowns during the playoff run. Michel can lay claim to scoring the only touchdown in Super Bowl LIII.

Michel ended up playing three seasons with the Patriots before New England elected to trade him prior to the 2021 season to the Rams for two late-round draft picks. Michel ran for 845 yards and four touchdowns during his first season with the Rams and went on to capture another ring with Los Angeles upending the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.

Michel's career fell off drastically after that season. He was cut by the Miami Dolphins before the start of last season before signing on with the Los Angeles Chargers, where he had a very limited role in 10 games.

The veteran running back looked to rejuvenate his career with the Rams again, but at the start of training camp, decided to call it a career. In his five NFL seasons, Michel accumulated 3,243 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns.