Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Billy Price has announced his retirement from football following a surgical operation that may have saved his life.
Price, the Bengals' first-round pick from the 2018 NFL Draft, shared via Instagram he underwent an emergency pulmonary embolism surgery on April 24 to remove a saddle clot that was entering his lungs.
The 29-year old is retiring due to risks of internal bleeding while on blood thinners.
Price's career with the Bengals never amounted to what either side hoped for. Following a rookie season plagued by a foot injury, the Ohio State alum failed to earn a starting job at the beginning of the 2019 season, but ended up starting eight games later on. He rode the bench for most of 2020.
Entering the last year of his contract, Price found himself traded to the New York Giants right before the start of the 2021 season. The Bengals acquired defensive tackle B.J. Hill in what has become one of the most successful player-for-player transactions in franchise history.
Price went on to start 15 games for the Giants in 2021, and started 11 games in 2022 for his third, the Arizona Cardinals. He signed a contract during the 2023 offseason with the New Orleans Saints, but was a little over a month later. The Dallas Cowboys signed him to their practice squad during the season, which became his final stop in the NFL. He was out of the league by 2023.
"I am truly thankful for the opportunity to have played in some of the greatest atmospheres around the world," Price said in his post. "I am thankful to have trained and played alongside men who will continue to make Pro Bowls, All Pro Rosters and Hall of Fame recognitions."
