INDIANAPOLIS Anthony Castonzo, Indianapolis Colts, tackles his retirement from the NFL today. The 10-year veteran has started all 144 games in the regular season in his career and eight games after the season in which he appeared with the Colts since joining the team in the first round (22 overall) of the 2011 NFL draft was selected.
Statement by Anthony Castonzo:
“As a kid, it was my dream to play in the NFL. I played my first full season of soccer in the second grade. Now I have my last. If I sit here now, after a 10-year NFL career, I am extremely proud of all the hard work and sacrifice that enabled me to develop that dream into a goal, and ultimately into a reality different from what I could even imagine.
More than anything, I want to thank everyone who supported me along the way, especially those who believed in me in times when I did not believe in myself. So thanks to the GMs who believed in me. Many thanks to all the coaches who taught me so much in my 25 years of football. Many thanks to the fans who are so dedicated to the game we all love. Many thanks to my teammates who have become friends and those I now call brothers. Many thanks to all the strength coaches, coaches and medical staff who gave me the blueprint to build myself (and sometimes build again) into the best player I could be. Thank you to all the support staff who made my daily work experience a joyful experience. And thank you to my family who are each of these things and so much more.
I was lucky that I was drafted by the Colts ten years ago. I was even more fortunate to spend my entire career here in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Colts is a special organization with special ownership that fills the organization with special people at every level. I believe this is the best organization in all sports. I’m lucky I could call myself a Colt for the past ten years and consider myself a Colt for the rest of my life.
I gave a lot to the game of football, but it gave me so much more. I close the book on the football chapter of my life, gifted with memories and moments for which I would exchange nothing. So thank you, last but not least, to football. ‘
Statement by Col Ir owner and CEO Jim Irsay:
“The Colts have been blessed with many talented attacking lineouts in our rich history, and Anthony Castonzo is one of the best to represent the horseshoe. Anthony has handled the first passers in one of the toughest positions for ten seasons. He has developed rapidly to the leader of our offensive line and set a standard for preparation, strength and conditioning, and play.Anthony deserves a tremendous amount of credit for helping us offensively age one of the best units in the NFL.He will be greatly missed but we appreciate AC’s contribution to our organization so much, and we congratulate him on his fantastic career. ‘
Statement by Colts general manager Chris Ballard:
“Anthony has been a pillar of this team for the last ten seasons. He has long played one of the most difficult positions in the game at an extremely high level. Anthony was a veteran leader in our locker room and will be greatly missed. We are grateful “For all his contributions to the horseshoe. We love AC and know he will thrive in the next phase of his life.”
Statement by Frank Reich, head coach of the Colts:
“I was an assistant coach at the Colts when Anthony was selected in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. From day one, I knew he would be a special player. Anthony has a brilliant spirit and he was a technician on the field and in film studies he is a great leader who spends so much energy on making his teammates better than improving his own game.I am grateful for the opportunity to see him grow as a professional person from the beginning of his career to the I wish him the best in his career after football. ‘
In 2020, Castonzo started 12 games and was part of an offensive line equal to the second fewest bags allowed (21.0). The Colts have recorded four games this season without allowing a bag, which was tied for the fourth most in the NFL. The offense was also in the top-10 in the league in points per game (28.2, ninth), rushes of ten yards (64, sixth) and first drops per game (22.8, tied-tenth). Castonzo helped pave the way for Jonathan Taylor, who became just the fifth newcomer in franchise history to reach 1,000 running yards in a single season. Taylor finished third in the NFL this season in rushing (1,169) and scrumming (1,468).
In 2019, Castonzo started all 16 matches for the sixth time in his career. He was part of the only offensive line in the NFL that started the same five offensive lineouts in all 16 games in the regular season. The group is tied with the ninth least pockets (32.0) in the league. Castonzo helped the Colts register a top-10 offense for the first time since 2001 as the team boasted the league’s seventh position (133.1 yards per game). Indianapolis’ 4.52 yards per carry average was the fifth-highest single season in franchise history. In addition, Collon, the Marlon Mack (1,091 rushing years), became the first Indianapolis player to record a rushing 1,000-yard season since 2016.
Castonzo started 11 regular-season games and two post-season games on the left-back in 2018. He was part of an offensive line that led the NFL with six games allowed without a bag. The Colts also allowed the fewest bags (18.0) in the league. From week 5-12, quarterback Andrew Luck tried 239 passes without being fired, making it the third longest series in NFL history. The unit recorded five consecutive games with no allowed pockets, which was tied for the third most games in league history since 1982. Castonzo started the two post-season games of Indianapolis and helped the Colts to a post- 200-meter season franchise record during the AFC Wild Card Round.
In 2017, Castonzo already started 16 matches. In 2016, he opened up racing lanes to run Frank Gore back to record the team’s first 1,000 racing season since 2007. Castonzo participated in 1,090 offensive snaps in 2014, leading all NFL players. He assisted a violation of Indianapolis that in 2014 set a franchise record for networks (6,506) and net passers-by (4,894).