Former Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Jon Feliciano is hanging up his cleats — for now, at least.
The 33-year-old offensive lineman took to social media to announce his retirement from the NFL after having missed the entire 2024 season due to injury. Feliciano played three of his nine NFL seasons with the Bills and hinted in his retirement announcement that he could be open to a return if the circumstances were right.
Jon Feliciano Open to Playoff Comeback
Feliciano took to X on Feb. 20 to announce that he was retiring from the NFL, saying he had thought about the decision for a long time.
“After months of weighing my options, I realized I had to leave the game. The fire is still there, but I know I can’t last a full season and can’t bring myself to let people down,” Feliciano wrote.
Though he didn’t feel up to playing a full 17-game season, Feliciano hinted that he could have a short stint in him and specifically called out the Bills as well as his last team, the San Francisco 49ers.
“Being on a team and unable to help out your boys is rough. That being said, Buffalo or SF, I’ll be ready for a playoff run in December if you need me,” he wrote.
Feliciano shined in the 2023 season, helping the 49ers reach the Super Bowl, but suffered a knee injury and underwent season-ending surgery during training camp.
“What followed was the worst season of my career. My knee tapped out, and I ended up missing the whole season. I am thankful for my teammates who were there for me and tried to keep my spirits up when I was going through it,” he wrote.
Feliciano came into the NFL as a fourth-round pick of the then-Oakland Raiders in 2015, playing four seasons there before joining the Bills in 2019. He started 34 games for the Bills over the course of three seasons but struggled with injuries, missing significant chunks of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
In his retirement announcement, Feliciano fondly recalled his time with the Bills.
“Buffalo is a unique place I will always call home. Thank you Buffalo for all the love you showed me, my family, and support staff,” he wrote.
Bills Have Strong Returning Offensive Line
The Bills had a strong offensive line in 2024, keeping quarterback Josh Allen protected and opening holes for running back James Cook to have a second straight 1,000-yard season. The unit will remain largely intact for 2024, with just one player headed to free agency — versatile interior lineman Will Clapp.
Clapp spent portions of the 2024 season on the practice squad, appearing in just one game during the regular season and playing in another two games in the playoffs.
The Bills have been known to bring back former players in the past, including some who came out of retirement to join the team. The Bills brought back wide receiver Cole Beasley for the final stretch of the 2022 season, months after he announced his retirement from the NFL.
The team has also signed defensive lineman Jordan Phillips for three separate stints.
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