The generational wealth aspect of the NFL became very clear on April 5th, when a 12-year veteran hung up his cleats. It was Dolphins‘ offensive tackle Terron Armstead, who retired at the age of 33 after earning $116 million over his NFL career. His departure came as a surprise, but he had been dropping hints since last year. It’s impressive that he managed to play 12 seasons, especially considering how often he battled injuries.

To give you an idea, he never played an entire season. In 135 games (131 starters), he recorded 7,734 snaps. That’s a lot of snaps in a career. But he also gave the Dolphins his back up: the second-round pick (55th overall) of the 2024 NFL draft, Patrick Paul.

While revealing his obvious choice for the OT position in the Phins, he said, “He’s the guy. It’s his time. He knows it. He’s going to use his talents, abilities, his strengths, and everything that happens after that, will be out of his control. You put those two together, you’ll have success.” Will his prediction come true?

At 6-foot-7 and 332 lbs, Paul is definitely a big man who can easily protect Tua Tagovailoa. Last year, he played 17 games but started in only three of them. Now that Terron Armstead has retired, 2025 could be his year to shine. It could have also happened that Armstead wanted to retire last year, but the Dolphins managed to convince him to play for another year and prepared Patrick Paul as their left tackle.

If that’s how it went down, then it was a very smart move. Last year, Paul recorded 15 pressures and 3 sacks, along with five penalties, in just 229 pass-blocking snaps. Terron Armstead, by comparison, was much more efficient—allowing only 11 pressures and 3 sacks with three penalties over 501 pass-blocking snaps. Still, the Dolphins will need to give Paul some time to grow into the role. The challenge ahead is no small one.

Tua Tagovailoa has a history of concussion injuries, and protecting him won’t be an easy task. Paul will have to ensure the quarterback stays healthy—otherwise, the season could quickly take a turn for the worse. Armstead’s retirement hit hard emotionally. Messages of support and admiration poured in, and even his teammates weren’t far behind in showing their appreciation.

Terron Armstead makes Tyreek Hill and other teammates emotional

The NO Saints drafted the OT in the 3rd round (75th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played 9 seasons for them before the Phins signed him up in 2022. In the same year, WR Tyreek Hill also arrived at the Hard Rock Stadium. Both formed a camaraderie over the 3 seasons while playing together.

When the Cheetah heard the retirement news, he got emotional. The receiver couldn’t hold his feelings and tweeted, “Congrats to my boy T stead man I’m crying real tears.” Terron Armstead must be feeling happy for the cherished bonds he has created over the years. The WR isn’t the only one.

The OT also protected the legend Drew Brees from 2013 to 2020. He also had a deep dive into memories of their time together and said, “I could not have asked for more from a teammate for the eight years we were together, whom I am also proud to call a friend.”

During his football career, Terron Armstead got 5 Pro Bowl selections. He still had 2 years left of his 5-year, $75 million contract with the Saints. But it’s time for him to relax and enjoy the sport with an outside lens.