Former Miami Dolphins and current Seattle Seahawks linebacker Jerome Baker reacted on social media to the news that his former teammate – running back Kenyan Drake – is retiring from the NFL.
Watching the guys i started my career with retire is bittersweet. 🥹
— Jerome Baker Jr. (@Lastname_Baker) July 19, 2024
Drake took to Instagram to announce that he’s retiring from the NFL after eight seasons playing for the Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers.
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A third-round pick by the Dolphins in the 2016 NFL Draft, Drake appeared in 54 games for the Dolphins across four seasons and made 16 starts. He carried the ball 869 times in his NFL career for 3,866 yards and 33 rushing touchdowns.
A dual-threat running back, Drake also racked up 218 catches over eight seasons, totaling 1,655 yards and eight scores.
While Drake didn’t spend his whole career in Miami, it’s clear that he had an impact on Baker, who entered the league in the 2018 season and was teammates with Drake until the running back was traded to Arizona during the 2019 campaign.
Baker, a third-round pick by Miami in the 2018 NFL Draft, spent the first six seasons of his career with the Dolphins before signing with the Seahawks this offseason. Baker agreed to a one-year, $7 million deal with Seattle after Miami released him back on March 5.
Even though Drake didn’t win any major awards during his NFL career, he was still a steady running back that found a role on different teams throughout his career. His best season was likely the 2020 campaign in Arizona, where he appeared in 15 games and started 13 – the most starts he logged in a single season.
In the 2020 campaign, Drake set career-highs in carries, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. The former third-round pick out of the University of Alabama carried the ball 239 times for 955 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.
Dolphins fans will likely always remember Drake for one singular play – the Miami Miracle – when he scored off of a lateral on the final play of the game to beat the New England Patriots.
Enjoy retirement @KDx32!!
Thank you for giving us one of the best moments in franchise history 🐬pic.twitter.com/8xX8Gpxix2
— Dolphin Nation (@Dolphin_Nation) July 19, 2024
Hopefully, Drake is able to enjoy his retirement and look back fondly on his time in the NFL. He also now can cheer on former teammates like Baker when the NFL regular season kicks off later on in 2024.
