DeMarcus Lawrence says 2026 will be his final NFL season, ending a 13-season career run

DeMarcus Lawrence, a defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks, said he plans to make 2026 his last season in the NFL. In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Lawrence reflected on whether to retire immediately after the 2025 season and said he will not repeat the same kind of decision process after 2026. He told Jori Epstein, “this will be my last year,” as an NFL player.

Lawrence’s comment puts a firm timeline on his playing career as the Seahawks move through the offseason into another NFL campaign. He is entering his 13th season, a span that matters because pass rushers at that level often define their value by reliability, technique, and availability, not only by peak athletic traits.

The declaration also lands at a point in the NFL calendar where teams are still building depth and experimenting with roles. For Seattle, a veteran who has spent more than a decade as an every-down presence changes the way the front office and coaching staff think about the future distribution of snaps along the defensive line.

Lawrence’s statement does not, on its own, spell out what his final season will look like in terms of specific workload or whether he intends to shift roles as the year progresses. Without additional confirmation from official team or league personnel, the most accurate takeaway is the commitment to retirement timing rather than any detailed plan for how the coaching staff will deploy him.

In the broader context of the league, veteran defenders who reach a 13th season often carry responsibilities beyond their individual production. Even without detailing on-field statistics, a player with this kind of experience is typically expected to set an example for younger teammates, help coordinate the front, and steady execution in high-pressure situations.

For the Seahawks, Lawrence’s planned exit raises practical questions for roster construction. The team will need to address not only the pass-rush spot on the depth chart, but also the style of the defensive end position within its system. How Seattle chooses to replace a long-tenured player may also influence which players earn more snaps, who develops faster, and how the team manages injuries and rotation.

What to watch next is confirmation and detail from the team itself as training camp unfolds. Even when a retirement timeline is publicly stated, NFL programs commonly revisit the plan with updates about roles, leadership expectations, and how younger linemen will be prepared for the transition. For now, Lawrence’s 2026 season is set up as the closing chapter of his NFL career, as he told Yahoo Sports.