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An eight-year NFL veteran who started 16 games last season has shockingly ended his career.
Los Angeles Chargers center Bradley Bozeman announced his decision on Instagram Monday, saying he was “ready for my next chapter.”
“This game has given me so much: lessons, lasting friendships, and memories that my family will treasure forever. I put everything I had into this journey and I walk away grateful and proud.”
Bozeman, 31, shared photos from his time with the Chargers, Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens during his eight years in the league. He saw many different coaches and teammates across three franchises, and he recognized them all and their fans.
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Bradley Bozeman of the Los Angeles Chargers watches the national anthem before an NFL playoff game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on January 11, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
“Thank you to all the teammates, coaches and fans I have had the chance to meet along the way,” he wrote.
Bozeman also showed his love for his family, especially his three children: Brody, Bailey and Boone. He also called his wife, Nikki, “amazing,” calling it “ride or die from the very beginning” and adding, “I couldn’t have done any of this without you!”
Bozeman ended his message with a quote he heard during his career.
“’Every career, no matter how decorated, ends in a trash bag,’” he wrote. “The game continues. Someone is filling your spot. I’m just grateful that God gave me the chance to go around.”
Bradley Bozeman of the Los Angeles Chargers lines up during an NFL playoff game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on January 11, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Bozeman said the next chapter will be “life on the farm,” as the Alabama native and former Crimson Tide lineman completed his legend with “Roll Tide.”
Bozeman was drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, where he played in 14 games in Baltimore with one start. Then, head coach John Harbaugh gave him the green light as the team’s starting left guard for the next two seasons, starting all 16 games in each, before moving to center in 2021.
With his rookie deal up after that season, Bozeman landed with the Panthers, spending the 2022 and 2023 campaigns with the franchise, where he was the team’s starting center.
Eventually, Bozeman teamed up with his former coach’s brother, Jim Harbaugh, as he signed with the Chargers to revamp their own line. He signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract with the team in 2025, but he won’t see it through now.
Bradley Bozeman of the Baltimore Ravens looks on during warmups before the game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Cleveland. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)
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Instead, the Chargers will have a spot to fill on an offensive line that has struggled mightily after losing star tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt to season-ending injuries in 2025.
Tyler Linderbaum, a former Ravens center, will be a hot commodity on the free agent market and could draw interest from Los Angeles now that Bozeman has retired.
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