Former Patriots running back Dion Lewis retires

Lewis starred as a pass-catching running back and return specialist for the Patriots, winning a Super Bowl in 2016.

Dion Lewis. Jim Rogash/Getty Images

After former New England Patriots Adam Vinatieri, Julian Edelman and Patrick Chung all bid football farewell in 2021, yet another ex-Patriot is doing the same.

Running back Dion Lewis, who played for the Patriots from 2015-2017, has announced his retirement at the age of 30, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Lewis played last year for the New York Giants, rushing for 115 yards and catching 19 passes for 127 yards.

The dynamic 5-foot-8 back made his name with Tom Brady and the Patriots.

He came to New England ahead of the 2015 season after failing to catch on with the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts to start his career.

Veteran RB Dion Lewis, who played 10 seasons and won one Super Bowl with New England, is retiring from the NFL despite interest from teams as recently as last week, per source. A great run for a 5-foot-8 RB who always played bigger than his size.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 13, 2021

A suspension to LaGarrette Blount opened the door for the shifty pass-catching back to make his mark, which he did by totaling 120 yards from scrimmage in his first career start against the Steelers in 2015.

After tearing his ACL that season, Lewis returned to take part in the Patriots’ Super Bowl win in the 2016 season and the team’s title loss to Philadelphia the next year. He played in all 16 games for the Patriots in 2017, rushing for a career-high 896 yards, before leaving for the Tennessee Titans in free agency.

He totaled 1,413 rushing yards and 696 yards receiving in his three seasons in Foxborough and served as a kick returner. The versatile runner also memorably returned a kick 98 yards for a touchdown against the Houston Texans in the 2016 playoffs and won Special Teams Player of the Week for his 103-yard touchdown return against the Denver Broncos in Week 10 of the 2016-17 season.