Former Browns Linebacker Calls it Quits

Former Cleveland Browns Linebacker Christian Kirksey has announced his retirement from the NFL after nine seasons. Kirksey was most recently with the Buffalo Bills on the team’s practice squad after being cut by the Texans at the end of preseason.

Kirksey was originally drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2014 draft. That draft class will always be remembered for the first round picks of Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel but the best players were taken later when the team selected Joel Bitonio and then Kirksey, who would go on to a very solid career.

Kirksey played in a total of 114 games during his career and compiled 778 tackles and 16.5 sacks while forcing 13 turnovers. Injuries hampered his final couple of seasons with the Browns but Kirksey would go on to sign with the Packers before spending his last several seasons with the Texans and experienced a resurgence. He was a team captain and key contributor to their defense.

The man called “Kirko” by his teammates was also a core leader of the teams he played on with the Browns. He will always be fondly remembered by most fans for coining the infamous ‘Dawg Check’ mantra that thrived throughout the special 2018 season and can still be heard tossed around today.