Former New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Andrus Peat is ending his NFL career after 11 seasons.
Peat announced his retirement in an Instagram post on July 31, reflecting on a career that began when New Orleans selected him with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft.
“11 years in the league, I gave it everything I had,” Peat wrote. “I may be walking away from football, but not from the lessons it taught me.”
The decision closes the book on a career defined primarily by Peat’s nine seasons in New Orleans. He made 102 starts for the Saints, developed into a three-time Pro Bowl selection and became one of the most recognizable members of the offensive line during the final years of the Drew Brees era.
Andrus Peat Became a Fixture on the Saints’ Offensive Line
Peat entered the league with unusually high expectations.
The Saints drafted the Stanford product 13th overall in 2015, envisioning him as a long-term building block who could help protect Brees and support one of the NFL’s most productive offenses.
He ultimately provided value at multiple positions. Peat spent most of his career at left guard, but he also filled in at tackle when injuries or lineup changes required it. The Saints noted early in his career that he had played every offensive-line position other than center.
That versatility became one of the defining qualities of his tenure.
Peat earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2018 through 2020. Those seasons coincided with one of the Saints’ strongest stretches of sustained contention, as New Orleans leaned on a veteran offensive line and a balanced offense while repeatedly challenging for the NFC title.
His Saints career was not without frustration. Injuries interrupted several seasons, and his performance was frequently debated among fans because of his draft status and the five-year, $57.5 million contract he signed in 2020.
Still, playing nine seasons and more than 100 games for one franchise is a meaningful accomplishment. The Saints listed Peat with 112 total appearances for New Orleans from 2015 through 2023, while NFL.com credited him with 102 starts during that span.
Peat Finished His Career With the Raiders and Steelers
Peat’s time in New Orleans ended following the 2023 season.
He signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024 and appeared in 15 games, making one start. The Raiders used him as an experienced reserve capable of lining up at guard or tackle.
Peat then joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025. He started three games during his final season and gave Pittsburgh an emergency option at left tackle when injuries affected the lineup.
He retired after appearing in 132 career games, according to reporting following his announcement.
Peat thanked his coaches, teammates and brothers in the trenches in his farewell message. He also wrote that he was moving on to his next chapter with his wife and sons.
For Saints fans, the announcement provides another reminder of how much the team’s offensive line has changed since its late-2010s playoff runs.
New Orleans has continued investing heavily in that group, including using first-round selections on Taliese Fuaga and Kelvin Banks Jr. and adding veteran guard David Edwards. Peat’s retirement marks the formal end of a career that covered the transition from the Brees-era contender to the current rebuild.
He did not leave New Orleans as the most decorated lineman in franchise history. But three Pro Bowls, nine seasons and more than 100 starts make Peat an important part of the Saints’ recent past.
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