Former Boise State star DeMarcus Lawrence announces retirement plans

Lawrence helped lead Seattle Seahawks to Super Bowl LX title

Seattle Seahawks defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Seattle Seahawks defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, a former standout at Boise State, is entering his 13th and final NFL season. 

On Friday, Lawrence told Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports that he plans to retire after the 2026 NFL season. 

Lawrence spent his first 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys before joining the Seahawks last offseason. He helped lead the Seahawks to the NFL West title and a victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX.

“This will be my last year,” Lawrence told Yahoo Sports. “Through the grace of God, I’m able to play another year and soak it all up one more good time before I hang it up.”

Lawrence has been one of the most productive Boise State alumni in the NFL, recording 503 total tackles, 67.5 sacks, 146 quarterback hurries, 24 forced fumbles and 11 fumble recoveries during the regular season. He has five career playoff sacks, including two last year during the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run. 

Oct 19, 2013; Boise, ID, USA; Boise State Broncos defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (8). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A South Carolina native, Lawrence attended Butler Community College in Kansas for two years before signing with Boise State. In his two seasons as a Bronco, Lawrence recorded 120 total tackles (34 for loss), 20 sacks and three forced fumbles. 

The Dallas Cowboys selected Lawrence in the second round (No. 34 overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft. 

During his 11 seasons in Dallas, Lawrence was named to four Pro Bowls and earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2017. Instead of returning to the Cowboys during the 2025 offseason, Lawrence said he chose to sign with an organization he felt was in a better position to make a Super Bowl run.

“I (saw) Dallas was going through a transition, letting go of some of their older players and starting to try to rebuild, and I understood that. But I also understood for me that my window of opportunity of playing football was closing,” Lawrence said before the Super Bowl. “So that’s truly what I meant by that statement is, I won’t win in Dallas because my window of opportunity is closing. I only have a couple of years, three, four, how many ever the Lord blessed me with.”

Lawrence wasn’t the only Boise State alum on the Seahawks’ roster last year. 

Running back George Holani had two carries for six yards and one reception for seven yards in the Super Bowl. Holani is also back with the Seahawks for the 2026 season.