Two centers who relocated to the NFC North via free agency in 2025 have now retired. Following Drew Dalman‘s Bears exit, Ryan Kelly is asking it quits.
The Vikings center announced Friday he’ll wrap his playing profession after 10 seasons. Nine of those got here in Indianapolis. Kelly signed a two-year, $18MM Minnesota deal last March.
While Dalman’s retirement proved shocking attributable to his age (27), Kelly is leaving the sport at 32. The previous first-round pick made 4 Pro Bowls during his time with the Colts, landing an extension in 2020. Kelly played out that deal before trekking to Minnesota. He loomed as a possible Vikings cap casualty. The Vikes imported each Kelly and guard Will Fries from the Colts; they’ll need a brand new center in 2026.
Drafted 18th overall out of Alabama in 2016, Kelly began his profession blocking for Andrew Luck. While Luck abruptly retired three seasons into Kelly’s profession, the talented center became an Indianapolis cornerstone because the franchise cycled through quarterbacks over the following several years.
Although Ryan Grigson drafted Kelly, GM Chris Ballard made him a priority during his tenure. The Colts gave Kelly a four-year, $49.65MM extension before the 2020 season. The Colts locked up Braden Smith and Quenton Nelson over the following two summers, forming a powerful O-line core. Kelly was at the guts of it, helping Jonathan Taylor win the 2021 rushing title by greater than 500 yards. As Taylor zoomed to first-team All-Pro acclaim, Kelly earned his third Pro Bowl nod.
Kelly’s lone All-Pro honor — a second-team selection — got here in 2020, when the Colts made the playoffs during Philip Rivers‘ first stint with the team. Snapping primarily to Carson Wentz in 2021 and Matt Ryan in 2022, Kelly picked up his final Pro Bowl accolade as Gardner Minshew‘s snapper in 2023.
More to return.