Jan. 3, 2016, Kansas City, MO; Chiefs defensive end Mike DeVito prepares to take the field against the Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium. (Emily DeShazer/The Topeka Capital-Journal)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Defensive end Mike DeVito officially hung up his playing cleats after nine seasons.
DeVito, who played the past three seasons for the Chiefs, announced his retirement Monday in an essay for 92.9 FM The Drive, which is part of The Bangor Daily News and BDN Media Network.
“I want to thank the New York Jets, the Kansas City Chiefs and all the amazing people I have met throughout my career,” DeVito wrote. “To all my family, friends, and fans, thank you for making an average player feel like a hall of famer. And to the game of football, thank you for the past 18 years, all the memories, and the lessons that will continue to serve me for the rest of my life.”
A steady defender against the run, the 6-3, 305-pound DeVito originally entered the league in 2007 as an undrafted free agent out of Maine with the Jets, where he spent six seasons (2007-12).
DeVito, who turns 32 in June, joined the Chiefs in 2013 on a three-year contract and was an unrestricted free agent before announcing his retirement.
He appeared in 14 games with 13 starts in 2013, and then suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in the 2014 season opener.
DeVito returned in 2015 to appear in 13 games with five starts, while missing two games with a concussion and one game with a shoulder injury. He totaled 19 tackles (13 solo) and a career-high three sacks in 2015.
On his career, DeVito has 110 appearances (57 starts), producing 250 total tackles and 5 ½ sacks.
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Herbie Teope is the lead Chiefs beat writer for ChiefsDigest.com and The Topeka Capital-Journal. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @HerbieTeope.
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