Sports
Former Baltimore Raven Haloti Ngata Retires Atop Mt. Kilimanjaro
Haloti Ngata announced the end of his 13-year career "standing on top of the world" in an Instagram video in Africa.
Former Raven Haloti Ngata is retiring. The defensive tackle made the announcement from the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, which is the highest free-standing mountain in the world.
"I'm retiring from the NFL on top," said a banner that Ngata held up in a video on his Instagram page. The song "Today's A New Day" by reggae band Common Kings played as he shared the news.
Ngata was a member of the Baltimore Ravens from 2006 to 2014. He was a strong presence on the team, standing 6-feet-4-inches tall and 340 pounds.
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The Ravens described Ngata as a "mountain of a man" and a "disruptive defensive force" who helped the team win the Super Bowl XLVII.
He was traded to the Detroit Lions, where he played from 2015 to 2017, before signing with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018.
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Ngata said his 13 years in the NFL provided him with friendships, memories and wisdom, leaving his heart full. He is now 35. According to ESPN, the average retirement age in the NFL is 30.
This was Ngata's message on the Instagram post: "Just a man standing on top of the world with a heart full of gratitude. Thank you Lord for letting me play the game I love for 13 unforgettable years. I’m retiring on top. I might be finished playing football, but I’m holding tight to the friendships, memories and wisdom I’ve gained along the way. 'Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.' Walking away with no regrets, just peace in knowing I gave it my all and had a helluva lot of fun doing it."
View this post on InstagramJust a man standing on top of the world with a heart full of gratitude. Thank you Lord for letting me play the game I love for 13 unforgettable years. I’m retiring on top. I might be finished playing football, but I’m holding tight to the friendships, memories and wisdom I’ve gained along the way. “Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.” Walking away with no regrets, just peace in knowing I gave it my all and had a helluva lot of fun doing it. #kissestotheskyformomanddad @ravens @detroitlionsnfl @philadelphiaeagles
A post shared by Haloti Ngata (@hngata92) on Mar 18, 2019 at 3:00am PDT
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