Former Washington Commanders center Chase Roullier has announced his retirement, deciding his football-playing days are over seven weeks shy of his 30th birthday because of injuries that derailed his career. Roullier cited the effects of two significant injuries in recent years — a broken left fibula and a damaged right knee — as the reason he’s done in the NFL. The Commanders released him earlier this offseason.

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“Two years ago, I would have never thought I’d be writing this right now,” Roullier said in a statement posted on Instagram Wednesday. “But in those two years, I have seen two major injuries, two invasive surgeries, two multi-month couch-ridden times, two rehabilitation marathons, two tall mental-health hurdles to climb and two of everything else in between.” Roullier looked like an impressive draft find before the injuries. After getting picked in the sixth round in 2017, the Wyoming product quickly became Washington’s starting center and kept that job for three full seasons from 2018-20. He signed a four-year extension worth just over $40 million in January 2021 but only played 10 games since. The end of Roullier’s time with the Commanders was clear when they signed Nick Gates away from the New York Giants to start at center and drafted Arkansas’ Ricky Stromberg in the third round to be a potential long-term solution in the middle of the offensive line. Roullier played 4,039 snaps in 69 professional games. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed just five sacks and 68 pressures. “It is a very difficult thing to say goodbye to something that has been a large part of my life for over two decades,” he said. “This decision has not been an easy one, but after lots of prayer and processing I am confident that it is the right one.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL