Former Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby has announced his retirement from the NFL.
“I think I’ve been putting this off for two years,” said Crosby. “I’ve been putting it out of my mind. I think this stubbornness is what served me so well in my playing career. So today, I make my official announcement to retire from the NFL.”
“The NFL said I was retired right at the end of this season, because if you don’t play for a year, you technically just ride off into the sunset,” he continued. “But you know what? I’m not riding off into the sunset. I always was so worried and fearful of retirement, being done with something, being done with an end of a career, but you know what, I’ve found things I’m passionate [about], I’ve found things I’m chasing.”
Crosby also thanked his fellow special teamers and teammates for contributing to his success. “I couldn’t have had any of the accomplishments, any of the accolades, any of the moments I had without [long snapper] Brett Goode, without [punter] Tim Masthay, without [long snapper] Rob Davis to start me, Jon Ryan was my first punter and holder. I started with [quarterback] Brett Favre, and I played with Aaron Rodgers the rest of my career ... he’s definitely a guy who I have to give a ton of thanks to.”
He also thanked his wife Molly, his parents, brothers and sister, nieces and nephews, and all his teammates.
Crosby was drafted by the Packers out of the University of Colorado in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. During his tenure, Green Bay won nine NFC North titles, went to the playoffs 12 seasons, including 8 years in a row from 2009-2016.
He was a member of the Packers during their championship season in 2010, making four extra points and a field goal to help lift the Packers to a 31–25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. He led the league in extra point attempts and makes in 2008, 2011, and 2020. Also in 2020, he led the league in field goal percentage, going a perfect 16 for 16, including 4 of 4 from 50-plus yards with a long of 57. His career long was 58 yards. He was perfect in extra points in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2015.
After the Packers elected not to resign him in 2023, he signed with the Los Angeles Rams’ practice squad in December 2023, He then signed to the New York Giants’ practice squad later that month, appearing in three games for the Giants and going 5–7 on field goals with a long of 52 and 6 of 7 extra points.
Crosby left the team as the Packers’ all-time leading scorer with 1918 points, The Associated Press reported, and the 11th-most points scored in NFL history, with 1,939. He also played in 258 games, the most by any player in Packers history.
Green Bay struggled to fill the void left by Crosby in 2023. His successor, Anders Carlson, led the league in missed kicks with 13 in 2023, and ultimately cost the Packers a Divisional Round Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers. Joseph Podlesny and Greg Joseph were both brought in to compete with Carlson in 2024; none of the three made the team. Brayden Narveson began the season as kicker, but was replaced by Brandon McManus midway through the season.
Two of Crosby’s teammates also congratulated him. “Mason, it’s been great being teammates, being friends for as long as we have,” former Packers wide receiver Donald Driver said. “It’s been 20-some years ... congratulations on the new chapter that you’re willing to take, man, because it’s gonna be exciting.”
Former guard Josh Sitton also sent his well-wishes to Crosby. “It’s a surreal moment, but it'll hit you soon ... but awesome career, awesome guy, incredible teammate, some unbelievably clutch moments for us in our time in Green Bay. So congrats on an awesome career, man.”
