DeAngelo Hall announces retirement after 14 seasons

When DeAngelo Hall left Redskins Park in January, he wasn’t sure what the future held.

He expressed interest in television, flirted with the idea of joining a team’s front office and was even open to being a coach — the latter of which he had previously detested. The 34-year-old didn’t close the door on football, but hinted he was close to retiring. His contract was up.

On Monday, Hall made it clear: His days of being a player in the NFL are over. The former Redskins cornerback announced his retirement at Ryan Kerrigan’s annual charity golf event.

“I’m not playing,” Hall told the Richmond Times- Dispatch. “That’s for damn sure. But yeah, all the other stuff is still on the table.”

Hall was the longest-tenured member of the Redskins, and overcame an ACL injury to suit up for five games in 2017. A three-time Pro Bowler, Hall spent nine and a half seasons with the Redskins and 14 in the NFL.

Hall was once one of the league’s top corners, notably hauling in four interceptions against then Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler in 2010. He also emerged as a trusted leader in the Redskins’ locker room.

The Redskins signed Hall in 2008 three days after he was cut just eight games into his tenure with the Oakland Raiders. That offseason, the Raiders traded a second and fifth round pick to acquire Hall from the Atlanta Falcons, and gave him a seven-year, $72 million extension.

Hall redeemed himself with Washington. He started 97 of 106 games. He made the Pro Bowl with the club in 2010.

Over the last few years, his career had been cut short due to injuries — appearing in 22 games since 2014. He switched to safety in 2015 at the request of the coaching staff.

He finished his career with 43 interceptions, which ranks 63rd in NFL history, 11 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and 10 defensive touchdowns.

Hall was drafted with the eighth overall pick by the Falcons in 2004. Before that, he was a Virginia native and spent three years at Virginia Tech.

As he transitions to another career, Hall has made television appearances as a football pundit on ESPN and the NFL Network. He also helped the Redskins at the scouting combine in March, assisting the team as a scout.

In January, Hall said he wasn’t sad about the possibility of retiring.

“”Everybody has [thought it would be] a little bit more difficult for me than I guess I’ve felt like it has been,” Hall said. “I think my wife said she might cry. ’Are you gonna cry?’ I was like, ’Hell, no I’m not going to cry.’ This has been a fun journey, fun road for me if it’s over, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”

Hall told reporters Monday his main goal was to earn an entrance into the Hall of Fame.

“I had a vision of a gold jacket, but the injuries the last couple years have been very hard on me,” Hall said. “So that’s kind of out-of-the-question now. But who’s to say I can’t get in there some other way? That’s kind of my focus. I still want a gold jacket, whether I can get one as an exec, a coach — I’m going to get me a damn gold jacket, believe that.”