It has been an up-and-down season for the Miami Dolphins, but now their defense will be losing a veteran depth player after 28-year-old pass rusher Chase Winovich announced his retirement.
Winovich took to Instagram to announce his retirement on Tuesday night.
The former Michigan Wolverines star had played in just three games for the Dolphins this season. After having a smaller role on Miami's defense, Winovich ultimately decided that it was time to hang up his cleats.
Prior to his NFL career, Winovich was the face of a dominant Michigan defense in college. His accolades included two first-team All-Big Ten selections, along with a third-team All-American nod in 2018. He finished his college career with 166 combined tackles, 43 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. He left Michigan after leading the team to a 10-3 record and a Peach Bowl appearance in 2018.
After a successful college career, Winovich was taken in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He spent his first three seasons under Bill Belichick, racking up 11 sacks and an interception over that span.
Winovich couldn't capture that early-career success with his final two stops in the NFL with the Browns and Dolphins, recording just one sack in 11 games. While he didn't end up becoming the superstar at the pro level that he was in college, Michigan Wolverines fans will still remember him fondly as one of the greatest defenders for the program over the last decade.
As for the Dolphins, they'll still be in good shape with their pass-rushing depth thanks to the likes of Christian Wilkins, Jaelan Phillips, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Bradley Chubb. With so much depth, the Dolphins should be able to continue putting the pressure on opposing quarterbacks for the rest of the 2023 season.
