Veteran RB Bernard retiring after 10 NFL seasons

TAMPA, Fla. — Running back Giovani Bernard, who spent the past two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on Friday announced that he is retiring after 10 NFL seasons.

“I came into this league grateful,” Bernard posted to Twitter. “… And now fast forward 10 years, I leave humbled. Humbled by the experiences, relationships, and memories that have all shaped me during this time.

“I’ve had the privilege of crossing paths with exceptional men and women, including my brothers on the field, coaches who’ve taught me so much, and front office/staff who worked behind the scenes to make it all seamless. I offer my deepest thanks to you all. You’ve allowed me and my family to be a part of something truly special.”

Bernard, 31, was selected in the second round of the 2013 draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, where he spent his first eight seasons before signing two one-year deals with the Bucs.

Injuries limited Bernard to 20 games over the past two seasons, and he rushed for just 86 yards on 16 attempts with the Bucs while serving primarily as a third-down pass-catching back. He caught 25 passes for 122 yards and three touchdowns over the past two seasons.

Bernard finished his time in Cincinnati with the eighth-most rushing yards in franchise history. His best years with the Bengals came at the beginning of his career, when the former North Carolina standout amassed 2,105 yards in his first three seasons. He is also 10th in team history with 342 receptions, the most ever by a Cincinnati running back.

Overall, Bernard rushed for 3,783 yards on 937 carries — an average of 4.0 yards per carry — with 22 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 367 passes for 2,989 receiving yards and 14 receiving touchdowns.

ESPN’s Ben Baby contributed to this report.

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