Former Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins retires at age 31. Hawkins signed a one year deal with the New England Patriots just a few months ago, but after minicamp and OTA’s his body finally caught up with his age.
Remember back in 2010 when the Cincinnati Bengals selected Texas Longhorns WR Jordan Shipley in the third round of the NFL Draft? Seems like forever, right? He instantly became a fan favorite. But then, in 2011, he suffered a knee injury that basically sealed his fate with the Bengals.Cincinnati placed Shipley on injured reserved and claimed Andrew Hawkins off waivers.
Cincinnati placed Shipley on injured reserved and claimed Andrew Hawkins off waivers. Prior to Hawkins signing with Cincinnati, he was part of back-to-back Grey Cup Championships with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes. Despite going undrafted and unsigned during the 2008 NFL Draft, Hawk made the most of his time in the CFL.
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Once the former Toledo Rocket got to Cincinnati, he was a human highlight machine and a fan favorite. Baby Hawk put himself on the map in 2012 when he broke out with 51 receptions, 533 yards and four touchdowns. Hawkins was unable to follow-up his 2012 performance due to injuries, but 2014 would look to be the best season of his career.
Hawkins signed a four-year, $13.6 million contract with the Cleveland Browns. I’m still wishing that he was still on the Bengals. He followed up his big contract by leading the team with 63 receptions and 824 yards.
Throughout Hawks career, he embodied the phrase that “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Despite going undrafted and heading to the CFL, he made the most of his opportunities. He won championships, signed a multi-million dollar deal and led an NFL franchise in stats.
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As Baby Hawk opens the next chapter in his life, he can close this one and be proud of his accomplishments. It was great watching him during his career. He’ll forever be apart of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hawkins ends his career with 209 receptions, 2,419 yards and nine touchdowns