Former Patriots tight end Matt LaCosse announces retirement from NFL

Seven years after entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent, Matt LaCosse has called it a career.

The former New England Patriots tight end announced his retirement on social media Tuesday evening, ending a run that included 40 receptions for 403 yards and two touchdowns over 34 games and 14 starts.

“I wanted to take a moment and say thank you to those who have helped me follow my dream,” LaCosse’s statement read in part. “I am saying goodbye to the game that I love, the game that I have sacrificed so much for and I want to truly say thank you to those who have sacrificed so much for me. This dream wouldn’t have been possible without you.”

LaCosse, 29, made stops with the New York Giants, New York Jets and Denver Broncos before signing a two-year contract with New England in 2019. Eight starts followed for the University of Illinois product, bringing 13 receptions for 131 yards and one touchdown from quarterback Tom Brady.

Opting out of the 2020 campaign due to Covid-19 concerns, LaCosse spent the duration of 2021 on the practice squad and served as an elevation versus the Cleveland Browns in November.

He did not reach a futures contract with the Patriots as the calendar turned to January.

“Since I was a kid I always dreamed of being a professional athlete,” added LaCosse. “It started off with me just wanting to be like my Dad and it turned into something I wanted to dedicate my life to. There were countless up and downs, but the people above were always there to help me. I truly got to live out my dream.”

New England nears training camp with a tight end depth chart featuring Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Devin Asiasi, Dalton Keene and Matt Sokol.