Steelers Now
Steelers AFC North foe Cleveland Browns inside linebacker Jordan Hicks decided to retire after spending one year in Cleveland.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and the rest of the AFC North have begun their preseason training camp period. Throughout the preseason, teams will make numerous moves. For some, those moves aren’t all theirs to make. On Friday, Jordan Hicks of the Cleveland Browns decided to retire ahead of the 2025 season.
Long-time playmaker LB Jordan Hicks, who was set to play for the #Browns this season, has announced his retirement. https://t.co/NurHnnNODi pic.twitter.com/xnOpLE61KE
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 25, 2025
The timing of Hicks’ retirement is particularly abrupt. The Steelers saw a similar situation last year with Markus Golden. Golden, however, was still very much on the fence about his NFL future.
There weren’t many indications for Hicks leaning towards retirement. It isn’t a total shock, however. He is approaching 34 years old and has played 10 years in the league.
The Browns will be left with major question marks at inside linebacker with Hicks’ retirement. Their star Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah suffered an unfortunate, potentially career-altering injury last season that will cause him to miss this season.
Among current backers for the Browns, former Steelers first-round pick Devin Bush returned to Cleveland this offseason. Bush had his best season since his rookie year with the team last year. However, Bush is currently dealing with legal issues and could face a league-enforced suspension.
Hicks’ retirement puts the Steelers’ foe in a tough situation on defense. After a strong 2023 season, the Browns’ defensive unit appeared to come back to reality in 2024. After that brutal season and major quarterback question marks, Hicks likely preferred retirement.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Browns Linebacker Abruptly Retires After One Year in Cleveland
