Former Browns, Chiefs offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz announces retirement

Mitchell Schwartz, who spent 2016-20 with the Chiefs and was an All-Pro selection four times in that span, announced on social media Thursday morning that he was retiring after 11 seasons in the NFL, ending any hopes of returning to the NFL following rehab from a back injury.

“I’m currently feeling as good as I have since then, but it’s clear my body won’t ever be the same,” Schwartz, 33, said in a Twitter post. “ … I’ve enjoyed so much about my time in the NFL and am walking away feeling very fulfilled.”

At the start of his career, Schwartz was the NFL’s Iron Man; he played 7,894 consecutive snaps over his first eight seasons, second only to future Hall of Famer (and former Cleveland Browns teammate) Joe Thomas, whose streaked ended at 10,363 consecutive snaps.

Schwartz suffered a knee injury in November of 2019 that caused him to miss time.

Drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. he was an All-Pro in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, and was a part of the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs team in the 2019-20 season.

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