Center Ryan Kalil has signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets, per Ian Rappoport. The deal is worth $8.4 million. He has spent his entire 12-year career with the Carolina Panthers to this point. This move also signals the end of a short-lived retirement for Kalil. He announced his retirement at the end of the 2018 season.
The #Jets and C Ryan Kalil have agreed to terms on a 1-year deal worth $8.4M, source said. A hefty payday and worth it for NYJ. Huge lift for that line and for QB Sam Darnold.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 1, 2019
Ryan Kalil Out of Retirement to Join the New York Jets
The news that Kalil is coming out of retirement is definitely a surprise. Training camps are heating up and the NFL preseason is about to begin. Kalil announced just this past December that he was calling it quits after 12 years in the league. However, the Jets front office had their eye on a veteran and Kalil was available.
Kalil has spent the entirety of his career with the Panthers, and it’s been a successful one. He’s a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro. Notably, Kalil made the NFL Top 100 in 2016. He was voted as the 79th best player in the NFL by his peers.
Throughout his career, Kalil has played in 145 out of a possible 192 games. He’s played all 16 games in just six out of his 12 seasons. Whatever the result this year, Kalil will be a welcome veteran presence for the Jets. Kalil is an outstanding veteran who can bring leadership to a young offense.
Kalil played college football at the University of Southern California. While there, Kalil’s team won two BCS National Championships. It was a successful college career for him. In fact, Kalil was a first-team All American as well as a recipient of the Morris Trophy. The Morris Trophy is an annual award recognizing the best offensive and defensive lineman of the conference. Kalil was the Pac-12’s best offensive lineman in 2006.
