Two Former Members of Falcons Defense Retire, One in Surprising Fashion

Two former members of the Atlanta Falcons defense decided to call it a career. According to Tennessee Titans writer Jim Wyatt, edge rusher Lorenzo Carter has informed the team of his intention to retire. 

Former Falcons linebacker Ade Ogundeji announced his retirement on his personal Instagram account. 

“Now I’m excited to take on the next step! And I know God will be with me every step of the way! Thank you to everyone who got me here: family, coaches, friends, and most importantly, my teammates and brothers! I want to thank the Southfield Falcons, Walled Lake Central, Notre Dame, Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers for giving me this opportunity and all the people who blessed me along the way! All Love - Ade Out,” he said toward the end of his message.  

Carter’s retirement came as a bit of a surprise. He was mostly a starter at his position as recently as last season. He started 11 of the 13 games he played last season. He started 33 of 49 games. The Titans signed him back in March with the intention of bolstering the depth on defense. 

He played with the Falcons from 2022 to 2024. He had 125 tackles, seven sacks and one interception. He signed ahead of the 2022 season to a one-year deal and was re-signed to a two-year contract. 

The Falcons drafted Ogundeji out of Notre Dame in the fifth round of the 2021 draft. He played the first two seasons of his career in Atlanta, getting the starting job for 27 of 32 games played, including all 16 he played in 2022. 

He missed the 2023 season due to an injury and was released by the team before the 2024 season. He signed with the Steelers in August and was released in December.