Packers Legend Announces Retirement After 17 NFL Seasons

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Green Bay Packers’ kicker Mason Crosby leaves the field after the game against the Minnesota Vikings

Long-time Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby has officially announced his retirement from the NFL after 17 seasons. Crosby, who spent 16 seasons with the Packers before briefly playing for the New York Giants in 2023, made the announcement on The Mason Crosby Show on 105.7 The Fan in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Crosby, a sixth-round pick (193rd overall) in the 2007 NFL Draft, quickly became one of the most reliable kickers in franchise history. He played in 261 career games, 258 of them with Green Bay, and left as the team’s all-time leader in field goals made (395), extra points made (733), and total points scored (1,918). Crosby’s consistency and clutch performances made him a key part of the Packers’ success over the years.

“My 17 seasons in the NFL surpassed all of my childhood hopes and dreams,” Crosby said in a statement via his representation, Team Lammi. “I couldn’t be more grateful that 16 of those years were spent with the Packers. Being drafted in the sixth round of the 2007 draft, I could have never written the script of what my career was going to become.”

Crosby played an essential role in Green Bay’s playoff success, including their Super Bowl XLV championship that concluded the 2010 season. His contributions to the Packers made him one of the most respected kickers in the league.

Mason Crosby’s Record-Setting Career

Crosby was one of the most productive kickers of his era. His 400 made field goals from 2007-2023 ranked second in the league during that span, just one behind Matt Prater’s 401. He ranks 11th all-time in NFL history with 1,939 career points, which includes his time with the Giants. Additionally, he made 44 field goals from 50 yards or more, proving his long-range reliability.

In the playoffs, Crosby was even more impressive. He connected on 31 of 35 field goals in the postseason, ranking sixth all-time, and converted all 70 of his extra point attempts—tied for second-most in playoff history with Adam Vinatieri. Only Stephen Gostkowski has more, with 89 made extra points in the postseason.

One of his most memorable kicks came in the 2016 NFC Divisional Round against the Dallas Cowboys. With the game on the line, Crosby drilled a 51-yard field goal to give the Packers a dramatic 34-31 victory over the top-seeded Cowboys. It remains one of the most iconic moments in his career.

What’s Next for the Packers’ Legend

At 40 years old, Crosby admitted that he had been “putting off” retirement for two years. The Green Bay Packers chose not to re-sign him after the 2022 season, leading to his brief three-game stint with the New York Giants in 2023. He finished his career making five of seven field goal attempts with New York before stepping away from the game in 2024.

Despite moving on from football, Crosby’s legacy in Green Bay is secure. He won NFC Special Teams Player of the Week eight times and NFC Special Teams Player of the Month twice. Most impressively, he never missed a regular or postseason game while with the Packers.

With his retirement now official, Crosby will undoubtedly make his next stop at the Packers Hall of Fame, where the franchise will remember him as one of its greatest kickers of all time.

Sterling Bennett is a Heavy.com contributor covering the NFL. He has half a decade of experience as a sports broadcaster at 95.7 The Game covering the San Francisco 49ers as part of the weekly “Overtime” show, where he covered Super Bowl 58. Bennett was the Golden State Warriors Network Coordinator from 2020-2024, where he was responsible for all gameday radio broadcasts, including the 2022 NBA Finals. More about Sterling Bennett