After a decade in the NFL, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Malik Jackson has announced his retirement. Jackson's career highlight came in 2017 when he was selected for the Pro Bowl as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The announcement came Friday on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football." Just the day before, he had been introduced as a free agent on the same program. Jackson expressed his appreciation for the free agent designation but ultimately decided he was content with retirement. He emphasized his desire to spend more time with his daughter and enjoy life beyond football. Jackson had aimed for a 10-12 year career, a goal he successfully achieved.

Drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, Jackson spent his initial four seasons there, contributing to the Broncos' Super Bowl 50 victory in 2015. His memorable play in that game included recovering a strip-sack from Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton for a touchdown. After Denver, Jackson signed with the Jaguars, where he achieved a career-high eight sacks during his Pro Bowl season. He later played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns, concluding his career with 292 tackles, 35.5 sacks, and 106 quarterback hits. Jackson did not play during the 2022 season.