Former Pittsburgh Steelers S Trenton Thompson is hanging up his cleats and moving on with life’s work. Per an Instagram post shared Friday night, Thompson announced he was done playing football professionally. The caption read:
“It’s always important to know when something has reached its end. Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn’t matter what we call it; what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over.”
RETIRED.”
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The photos consist of a montage throughout his career from growing up to his time in college and NFL stops during his football journey.
Undrafted in 2022 out of San Diego State, Thompson appeared in 17 career games, making a pair of starts. He spent the 2023 season with the Steelers, a mid-camp addition when injuries struck the secondary and immediately stuck out as a well-rounded player with good size. He showed enough in that multi-week trial run to stick on the practice squad before earning his chance on gameday, added after further injuries left the Steelers thin.
He played in six games for Pittsburgh in 2023, making one start. He earned his first and only NFL interception in that first start, picking off Cincinnati Bengals QB Jake Browning deep in Steelers’ territory, a game-changing play that helped bring Pittsburgh a victory.
Thompson would have a regular defensive role the next several weeks before suffering a neck injury in Week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts. Placed on IR, he didn’t log another snap the rest of the season. The team surprisingly waived him in June and though he held a workout with the Carolina Panthers shortly before camps began, he didn’t catch on anywhere else. Still only 27, perhaps the injury played a factor in his decision to retire.
For his career, Thompson made 53 tackles with three pass breakups and that interception. He spent time with the New York Giants before signing with the Steelers.
