Justin Pugh is ending his NFL career in the same place he started.
The former Giants offensive lineman announced his NFL retirement Friday after 11 years, the final of which was in the 2023-24 season when he suited up for Big Blue one last time.
“Not many players get to go out on their terms, and after 11 years playing in the NFL, I am officially retiring from the league,” Pugh told the media at Giants training camp.
The 34-year-old said he wanted to play one more season last year, but that he “just didn’t have it in the tank.”
“Started losing weight, started feeling good and didn’t want to do a twelfth year,” Pugh said.
“Ended up going to the stands with the fans for my twelfth year.”
The Giants selected Pugh 19th overall out of Syracuse in the 2013 NFL Draft.
He played his first five NFL seasons for the team before signing a five-year deal with the Cardinals in 2018.
He spent the next five years in Arizona before returning to the Giants for his swan song in 2023.
Upon re-joining the team in October 2023, Pugh became a viral sensation on “Sunday Night Football” for his “straight off the couch” introduction in an eventual loss to the Bills.
He appeared in 12 games in his final Giants season.
“Like every little boy, I always dreamed of playing in the NFL or some other sport … and I always mimicked that game-winning shot, or that game-winning catch,” Pugh said. “I definitely never planned on making a block so Eli (Manning) could throw the ball down the field, or Kyler Murray.
“I don’t think any little boys are out there right now being like, ‘Oh, let me block in the playoffs and make something happen,’ but what I realized was that offensive line was the position that was for me.
“Everyone wants to be that star position, but it’s something that really defined me, as a man, as a father and as a teammate.”
Pugh was a key pass blocker for Manning early in his career before blocking for the likes of Daniel Jones, Tyrod Taylor and Tommy DeVito.
“To the fans, it’s been an amazing ride,” Pugh said. “Thank you for supporting me.”