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In 2008, after 15 years in the NFL, Willie McGinest decided to retire from professional football and end what had been a highly successful career. The fourth overall pick of the 1994 NFL draft stepped away as a two-time Pro Bowler and the league’s all-time leader in postseason sacks – all while being one of the unquestioned leaders on three Super Bowl winning New England Patriots teams in the early 2000s.
McGinest remained busy even after announcing his retirement: He became a television personality through his work as an analyst for NFL Network since 2012. Furthermore, he returned to New England on a ceremonial one-day contract in 2015 to enter the organization’s Hall of Fame as a member of the team after having spent the last three seasons of his career with the Cleveland Browns.
All in all, McGinest had and continues to have a remarkable career – one that will be featured in the A Football Life documentary series this fall: NFL Films announced its schedule for the eighth season over the weekend, and the 46-year old will be the topic of an episode. It will be the seventh time that an ex-Patriot is extensively featured in A Football Life:
Bill Belichick (2011: season 1, episodes 1 & 2)
Bill Parcells (2013: season 3, episode 20)
Doug Flutie (2014: season 4, episode 6)
Curtis Martin (2016: season 6, episode 1)
Rodney Harrison (2016: season 6, episode 2)
Wes Welker (2017: season 7, episode 4)
You will be able to watch A Football Life: Willie McGinest on October 5, 8:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network.