NFL veteran Nick Bellore has retired ahead of the 2026 season.
Linebacker Bellore, 37, was placed on the Reserve/Retired List by the Washington Commanders on Monday, July 27, as the team returned to training camp.
The move came after Washington signed cornerback Rasul Douglas.
Commanders confirm retirement for NFL veteran
“In a corresponding move, we have placed LB Nick Bellore on the Reserve/Retired List,” a post, shared by the team read.
He follows other NFL stars, including Levi Wallace and Travis Vokolek, in retiring ahead of 2026.
Bellore entered the NFL in 2011, after going undrafted.
He drew interest as a free agent from over half of the teams in the league at the time, and quickly signed with the New York Jets.
Bellore spent the first four years of his career with the Jets, before going on to play for the San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders across an impressive 14-year run.
While he was a linebacker by trade, Bellore mostly saw the field on special teams, and was one of the NFL’s longest-tenured linchpins in the third phase.
He appeared in 232 games and made 17 starts, racking up a total of 280 tackles despite starting zero games on defense after 2019.
Bellore went to the Pro Bowl on two occasions as a member of the Seahawks, in 2020 and 2023.
He was a much-beloved teammate who had a reputation for doing the dirty work throughout his long career.
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“Nick Bellore has been a core special teamer in Washington,” JP Finlay of NBC Sports wrote, following news of his retirement.
“Liked and respected by staff and teammates.
“A 15-year vet that just turned 37 in May, that’s a great run for an undrafted guy out of Central Michigan.”
Nick Bellore was undrafted MAC star who became two-time Pro Bowler
Bellore entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent after he started at linebacker for the Central Michigan Chippewas from his freshman year through to his senior season.
He holds the second highest consecutive start streak in program history, with 51 games.
Bellore was an All-Mid American Conference First-team selection on defense in three-straight years (2008, 2009 and 2010) and helped CMU to three bowl games appearances.
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The Chippewas were victorious in the 2010 GMAC Bowl against the Sun Belt’s Troy Trojans, which marked just their second second bowl win in history.
“A salute to Nick Bellore for his service as a special-teams ace for Washington for two seasons,” one fan posted on X, sharing a highlights package following news of his NFL retirement.
“Enjoy the retirement, Nick!” another said.
“Nick was awesome! Congrats on retirement!” a third wrote.
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“Happy retirement to Nick Bellore! Absolute legend of a special teams ace and one of the funniest personalities in the league. Enjoy the next chapter,” a fourth wrote.
Bellore is yet to reveal his next move, but NFL writer Patrick Daugherty believes he has the ‘kind of resume that could easily lead to a coaching career’ if interested.
