Former Steelers Defender Announces Retirement

The former Pittsburgh Steelers defender made his announcement with a heartfelt message.

Jan 1, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko (96) reacts after the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- A former Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle has announced his retirement from the NFL, as Breiden Fehoko is ending his NFL career after playing in parts of five seasons in the league.

Fehoko took to his Instagram account to post about his decision, issuing a heartfelt message about his time in the league.

"Sometimes in life you just get a sense of fulfillment & for me it’s now. 29 years old and I couldn’t be happier with the journey of where this game has taken me.To my family you guys never let me quit and more importantly never let me stop believing in myself. I’m thankful for every coach, teammate, trainer, opponent, agent, etc. because you guys made me a better version of myself every time I stepped on that football field.I’m not a fan of long novels but I’m glad to say I’m retiring from this great sport of football. I’m so blessed to have a head start in life & I look forward to my next chapter with my family. I’ll miss the team dinners, bus rides, training camps, and everything in between. I won’t miss conditioning.I love Yall." Fehoko wrote.

Not the news you guys are waiting on. Anyway I love y’all. Thanks for the memories. pic.twitter.com/Vqt4yvzqbc

— Breiden Fehoko (@BreidenFehoko) November 21, 2025

Fehoko has often been one of the most interesting members of the Steelers and the entire league on social media, and has not shied away from providing his opinions on different things around the league on his X account.

How Did Fehoko Get Here?

The retirement comes off the heels of Fehoko being released by the Steelers during the 2025 training camp, which would have been his sixth season in the NFL. In fact, Fehoko considered retirement before signing with the Steelers ahead of the 2025 camp, but put it to the side to give it another shot with the Steelers.

Fehoko played for two teams during his NFL career, as he began his career with the Chargers. Fehoko was part of the 2019 LSU team that won the CFP National Championship. Following his college career, Fehoko was signed as an undrafted free agent in the 2020 NFL Draft cycle.

Dec 28, 2019; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; LSU Tigers defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko (91) reacts during the second quarter of the 2019 Peach Bowl college football playoff semifinal game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-Imagn Images | Jason Getz-Imagn Images

Fehoke would spend the 2020,2021 and 2022 seasons with the Chargers before he was not re-signed at the end of the 2022 season. He signed with the Steelers ahead of the 2023 season, spending parts of 2023 and 2024 with the active roster while spending much of his time on the Steelers' practice squad.

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