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(PHOTO: Steve Mitchell - USA TODAY Sports) A key member of the New England Patriots second half of the dynasty said his final goodbye to football last week.
On Thursday, safety Patrick Chung formally announced his decision to retire from the NFL after 12 seasons in a post to Instagram.
As Chung bids farewell, his impact on the Patriots franchise was on full display when both head coach Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft each issued praise-filled statements after his retirement became official on Monday.
Bill Belichick
“Patrick Chung is a special person and player, one of the pillars of our program and truly in the upper echelon of the many greats I have had the privilege to coach,” Belichick said. “It all stems from his passion for the game and tone-setting, team-first attitude. Pat’s combination of toughness, intelligence and versatility was exceptional and it enabled him to perform more roles than most any player I have ever seen. In any setting, whether in the locker room, in meetings, on the practice field, during games and in the biggest moments, Pat was everything a coach could want. It is no accident that his teams competed for championships virtually every year of his Patriots career. I applaud him for a remarkable career and am grateful for all he did for me and our organization.”
Robert Kraft
“For more than a decade, Patrick Chung was a versatile and valuable contributor to our team and in our community,” Kraft said. “I remember when I first met him in 2009 on the day we introduced him to the media. We talked about his love of his family and his passion for football. He had a great smile, a big personality and a relentless work ethic, which earned the respect and affection of his coaches and teammates, as well as Patriots fans everywhere. Twelve years later, Patrick retires as a three-time Super Bowl Champion to spend more time with his family and pursue new passions in his life. We will be eager to welcome him back for the many alumni events and championship celebrations we will host in the future.”
The Patriots would release a tribute video featuring highlights from Chung’s career you can view below.
“When I walk away from this game, I just want people to say I was a good guy.” pic.twitter.com/7G8DoH8ZxE
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) March 22, 2021
All love. Forever family. I love you https://t.co/0gcswX4bp4
— Patrick Chung (@PatrickChung23) March 22, 2021
The 34th overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft out of Oregon, Chung contributed to five Patriots Super Bowl runs, winning three rings in that span. Chung played ten out of 11 seasons with the Patriots along with a brief stint with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013.
In 2020, Chung was named a member of the Patriots 2010’s All Decade Team but elected to not participate in the season this past fall due to COVID-19 safety concerns.
As Chung’s NFL career comes to a close, next up will likely be a future membership in the New England Patriots Hall of Fame.
Get that red jacked sized up Patrick!
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