NFL guard and Super Bowl champion Shane Lemieux is hanging up his cleats at the age of just 28 after multiple surgeries curtailed his football career.
Lemieux was selected by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft and went on to play 12 games – nine of them starts – in an impressive rookie season.
His career since has been blighted by injuries, and he has gone under the knife five times, leading to him making the heartbreaking decision to retire from the sport.
In a post on LinkedIn, he revealed: ‘Today I am announcing my retirement from the NFL after 6 seasons. After graduating from the University of Oregon and being drafted by the New York Giants, I had dreams of a 10+ year, All-Pro career. I believed I could get there.
‘But after 5 surgeries and more time in the training room than on the field, the game started to look different to me. That is why I am deciding to step away with the health that I have.
‘While I didn’t achieve that goal, the lessons I learned through the injuries, the releases, and finally getting back on the field mean more to me going forward than any accolade ever could have. And the relationships built along the way have been the most impactful of all.
Shane Lemieux was drafted by the New York Giants and enjoyed a brilliant rookie season
The guard then went to New Orleans but continued to struggle with various injuries
He was hot property coming out of college in 2020, after impressing with the Oregon Ducks
‘I am thankful for the game. I’ve dedicated my life to football, and it has rewarded me immensely. But I’ve always seen myself as more than a football player, and I’m ready to show the world just that. Stay tuned for what’s next.’
After four seasons with the Giants, Lemieux was released after a third straight year on injured reserve. In the offseason before the 2024 campaign, he was picked up by the New Orleans Saints, but was released as part of final roster cuts.
He signed with the Seattle Seahawks practice squad in September 2025 and was still on the team when they won the most recent Super Bowl in February.
In the end, it was various injuries – to his knee, toe and bicep, among others – that ultimately put paid to his dreams of a long career in the National Football League.
