Charles Leno Jr. retires from NFL after family tragedy

Charles Leno Jr., a 10-year NFL offensive tackle who started 141 games and was a 2018 Pro Bowl selection, announced his retirement on Tuesday, saying the decision was prompted by a family tragedy that reshaped his priorities. Leno posted a statement on Instagram at 2:46 p.m., timing it to coincide with the second anniversary of the miscarriage of his and his wife Jennifer’s fourth child, Paitynn.

In the post Leno described learning of the loss while on the road in Atlanta for a Washington Commanders game and said he did not play in that contest. "On October 14, 2023, my wife Jennifer and I experienced the most unimaginable heartbreak. We lost our precious daughter, Paitynn our fourth baby girl," he wrote. "That day changed everything for me." He added that the experience altered how he views life and led him to choose to step away from football to be a full-time husband and father. "There is nothing like the love of your daughters," he wrote. "That is my purpose now. That is my legacy."

Leno was selected in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Boise State and spent his first seven seasons with the Chicago Bears, where he became a regular starter and earned his Pro Bowl...