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Tim McManus, ESPN Staff Writer
PHILADELPHIA — Eagles linebacker Myles Jack informed the team he is retiring, a league source confirmed to ESPN.
Jack, 27, signed a one-year deal with Philadelphia on Aug. 6 and received first-team reps on his first day of practice, but had a relatively quiet training camp and had fallen down the depth chart in recent days.
Jack was pondering retirement earlier this offseason after being released by the Pittsburgh Steelers in March and had thoughts of going to trade school to become an electrician or a plumber. But his high school friend, Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker, persuaded Jack to train with him in Scottsdale instead to try to extend his NFL career.
That effort over a three-month span led to a workout with the Eagles, who were looking to infuse their unproven linebacker room with veterans. They signed Jack and Zach Cunningham to one-year deals on the same day.
“That’s just how life goes,” Jack said. “One week you’re on the couch playing ‘Call of Duty,’ the next week you’re playing with the [NFC] champions.”
Cunningham has since shot up the depth chart and has a chance to start opposite Nakobe Dean, while Jack fell out of the mix.
Jack, a two-way standout player at UCLA, was a second-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016. He started 95 games over seven seasons for the Jaguars and Steelers, posting 617 tackles and 6.5 sacks.
It was a longer and more productive career for Jack than many anticipated, with questions surrounding what was described as a degenerative knee condition coming out of college.
NFL Network first reported the news of Jack’s retirement decision.