After another year hampered by injuries, a former Vol is calling it quits.
Former Vol and current New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo took to Instagram Tuesday evening to announce his retirement from the NFL after 8 years in the league.
Former Vol and New England Patriots LB Jerod Mayo has announced he is retiring. pic.twitter.com/kskPRirT6h
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) February 17, 2016
Mayo played all 8 of his seasons in the NFL with New England and got off to a fast start with the Patriots. Mayo was drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft and totaled 128 tackles in his rookie season. He would put up 103 tackles in 13 games the next season and a whopping 175 in this third season.
But after 2010, Mayo struggled with injuries and had only one more season in which he posted 100 or more total tackles (2012). Mayo finished his NFL career with 803 total tackles, 11 sacks, 23 tackles for a loss, 8 forced fumbles, and 3 interceptions.
Mayo’s final few seasons in the NFL were marred by injuries. Mayo played in all 16 games for the Patriots in 2015 but only started a handful of them. But he then sustained an injury that would keep him out of any playoff action.
Jerod Mayo played for the Vols from 2005-07 and totaled 237 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 21 tackles for a loss, a forced fumble, and an interception in 32 games. He was also named a 1st team All-SEC linebacker after the 2007 season. Mayo played middle linebacker for Tennessee and later played inside linebacker for New England in the NFL.
