Linebacker Gerald Hodges wants to rejoin NFL after retiring in 2018

The list of available free agents at linebacker just grew by one with word that veteran Gerald Hodges, who retired in 2018, wants to play again.

Gerald Hodges has had a change of heart. The former NFL linebacker announced his retirement from the league in 2018 after a nice seven-year career in which he played for five different NFL franchises. Now at the age of 29 and after having taken a year away from the game, Hodges is ready to rejoin the NFL.

Hodges has never been a mainstay in the lineup for any team throughout his NFL career, but his special teams play and ability to spell an injured player in the lineup has kept him employed for the majority of the last decade. Hodges has appeared in 81 total games in his career, starting only 32, for several franchises including the Arizona Cardinals—the team for whom he last played.

The Kansas City Chiefs showed interest enough to bring him in for a free agent visit back in 2017 but let him leave without a contract offer. Hodges eventually signed with the Buffalo Bills that offseason but was released before the season began. The New Orleans Saints picked him up during that regular season but he barely played.

Fortunately the Cardinals gave him another chance and he responded by playing in all 16 games in 2018 and making 6 starts (second-most in his career). Hodges had 55 total tackles that season and 2 tackles for a loss.

Would the Chiefs be interested at this point? It seems weird that any team would be that interested in Hodges at this stage unless he can prove to really stand up well in coverage. (He does have 3 interceptions in his career.) The Chiefs could use an upgrade or two among the starting ranks, but it’s hard to believe Hodges adds anything to a roster that already has marginal linebackers aplenty.