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Tryon-Shoyinka's Absence Cleared Up: He's Retired

The former Husky edge rusher ends his football career after five NFL seasons.
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (9) is shown in 2024 while being introduced before a game against Denver
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (9) is shown in 2024 while being introduced before a game against Denver | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

In recent months, edge rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka missed OTAs (organized team activities) and minicamp for his new team, the Philadelphia Eagles, without any public explanation.

Now we partially know why.

On Tuesday, the Eagles placed the former first-round draft pick from the University of Washington on the retired list.

While nothing has been confirmed as to cause, Tryon-Shoyinka had been dealing with a neck injury over the past year and he missed a midseason game with a hip injury.

Take your pick.

Either health issue could be debilitating to the point an NFL career ends abruptly.

Thus brought Tryon Shoyinka's pro football pursuits to a close after five seasons that took him to Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Chicago and Philadelphia.

He appeared in 82 games and started 45.

He was a full-time starter for the Bucs in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Tampa Bay linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (9) celebrates after a sack against the San Francisco 49ers.
Tampa Bay linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (9) celebrates after a sack against the San Francisco 49ers. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Caught up in the COVID pandemic, Tryon-Shoyinka sat out the 2020 UW season, which was limited to four games and was Jimmy Lake's first as the Husky coach.

In other words, he made a decision highly beneficial to himself.

He spent that year lifting weights in Florida, well away from the masses and staying fit.

Even after not playing for a season, the Bucs selected Tryon-Shoyinka with the 32nd and final pick of the first round.

He had tested well at the NFL Scouting Combine, especially after running the 40-yard dash in 4.69 seconds with such a big body.

Joe Tryon-Shoyinka  is shown during a 2020 workout when he sat out the UW football season.
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka is shown during a 2020 workout when he sat out the UW football season. | Tryon-Shoyink

While in Tampa Bay, he played with several other former Huskies such as defensive tackles Vita Vea and Greg Gaines, wide receivers Jaydon Mickens and Jalen McMillan, and tight ends Cade Otton and Devin Culp.

The Bucs opted not to sign him after his four-year rookie contact worth $11,171,237 came up for renewal, noting his statistical production had begun to fall off.

Providing he stays retired, Tryon-Shoyinka finished up his career last season by playing eight games for the Cleveland Browns and another eight for the Chicago Bears, all as a reserve edge rusher.

This past March, the Eagles signed him to a one-year, $1,402,500 deal, with $662,500 fully guaranteed.

The Renton, Washington, native took part of his original NFL earnings and said he would pay for his sister to attend medical school.

So now it's on to the next stage of his life, having played in the NFL, made a good living and, unless someone says otherwise, with his health reasonably intact.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.