Former Detroit Lions defensive end John Cominsky is ending his career after injuries hindered his NFL journey.
Cominsky played in 19 games for the Lions during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, his final two seasons before encountering health problems that sidelined him last season. On March 31, Cominsky used social media to declare his retirement from the NFL.
John Cominsky: ‘Proud of My Career’
Cominsky declared his retirement in an Instagram post, mentioning that his increasing injuries were too difficult to surpass.
“After six years in the NFL, I am formally retiring due to medical reasons,” he stated. “I take pride in the career I built, yet I’ve gathered a set of injuries that are surpassing my wish to keep playing.”
Cominsky discussed his unexpected journey to the NFL, initially being a Division II prospect before being selected by the Atlanta Falcons. He expressed gratitude to the Lions for selecting him off waivers from the Falcons, providing him with a second contract and the longest period as a starter in his career.
The 29-year-old expressed gratitude to his teammates, noting that he gained valuable experience at both stages of his NFL journey.
“During my time playing ball, I gained a great deal of knowledge that will certainly help me in the future,” Cominsky stated. “I was fortunate to participate in many significant games on major stages.” I played alongside athletes I looked up to during my youth. I greeted hall of famers with a handshake and encountered some of the finest individuals on Earth.
Cominsky played a crucial role in the 2023 Lions squad that advanced to the NFC Championship game, starting in all three playoff matches that year. He experienced a torn MCL in his right knee during last year’s training camp, causing him to miss the season.
Even with the injury, Cominsky had shown no signs that he intended to retire.
Lions Require Assistance at John Cominsky’s Previous Role
The Lions have had difficulty identifying a reliable pass rusher to complement Aidan Hutchinson since Cominsky’s injury in the preseason. Hutchinson suffered a season-ending injury in October, and no other player surpassed the 7.5 sacks he recorded up to that moment.
The Lions may have space to re-sign veteran defensive end Za’Darius Smith, who joined the team at the previous season’s trade deadline and accumulated 4.0 sacks in seven games. Colton Pouncy from The Athletic indicated that the Lions might be allowing space for Smith to rejoin in free agency.
“He doesn’t seem to be hurrying to sign,” Pouncy stated. “Seems like he’s in the same situation as Von Miller.” “I believe he’s having a good time during his break.”
Pouncy mentioned that it might indicate a positive outlook for the Lions that Smith stayed without a contract during the initial month of free agency.
“I’ll honestly say that the longer Smith stays without a contract, the more I question if the Lions are allowing him to take his time and still want to stay engaged,” Pouncy stated. “That’s kind of how they managed to acquire C.J. Gardner-Johnson.” Holmes informed reporters that he was unsure if they could secure his signing but maintained communication with his agent during the entire process. When his market didn’t develop as he anticipated, Detroit became the destination. I wonder if the Lions had a comparable discussion with Smith.