Romeo Okwara, a former defensive end for the Detroit Lions, is retiring from football.
I have made the decision to step away from the NFL after some introspection and meditation, Okwara wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. “For the better part of eight years, during which I was fortunate enough to play professional football, football has dominated my life. four of those with my sibling, I will always be appreciative of the experiences, connections, and camaraderie I have been fortunate enough to have with my classmates, coaches, and colleagues. I shall be here to support you all for the rest of our lives because you all mean the world to me.Okwara, an unrestricted free agent, missed the majority of the 2021–2022 seasons due to injury, but he recorded two sacks in 16 games the previous season.
In the fourth game of the 2021 season, the 28-year-old tore his Achilles tendon, leading the Lions in sacks in 2020. During his recovery, he required further operations.

Last season, he was mostly used as a rotational pass rusher and had some of his greatest performances in the latter part of the season.

Further:

Without their amazing mother, Julian and Romeo Okwara of the Detroit Lions would not be in the NFL.

In January, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn of the Lions stated, “I’m delighted for that player.” I believe that he is recovering from the injuries quite well. And keep in mind that, while everyone is unique and they discuss Achilles injuries, sometimes it takes a year or even a year and a half to fully recover and resume your activities.

In 2016, Okwara joined the New York Giants as an undrafted rookie to begin his NFL career. Two years later, the Lions claimed him off waivers, and Okwara played with his brother Julian in Detroit for the next six seasons (2020–23).

During his 70 games as a Lion, he had 24 sacks.