Arthur Moats is hanging up the cleats for good.
Taking to Twitter, Moats made the announcement Monday morning:
I have to give a big thanks to the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers for giving me this opportunity to play 9 seasons in the NFL! Last but certainly not least, I have to give a big shoutout to #BillsMafia & #SteelersNation for all the support! #DontCrossTheMoats #Retired pic.twitter.com/KModl9Yyvx
— Arthur Moats (@dabody52) June 10, 2019
Ryan Shazier was quick to chime in:
My guy. @dabody52
— Ryan Shazier (@RyanShazier) June 10, 2019
Moats, who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Bills, played four seasons in Buffalo before tallying four more with the Steelers from 2014 to 2017. In 2018, Moats signed a one-year deal with the Cardinals, but he landed on injured reserve with a sprained MCL early in the year and was released on Oct. 9, 2018.
Moats made 45 starts in his NFL career, notching 16.5 sacks, 202 combined tackles (115 solo) and four forced fumbles. Before his pro career, Moats racked up 208 tackles at James Madison University, where he won the 2009 Buck Buchanan Award, given annually to the nation's top FCS defensive player.
Perhaps most notably, Moats delivered a massive hit on Brett Favre in 2010 that snapped a record long in the making. Favre had started 297 consecutive games to that point — 27 more than second place Jim Marshall — but Moats' hit forced Favre to miss his next start, ending the streak.
Moats enjoyed his best season in Pittsburgh during the 2015 campaign, making 11 starts at outside linebacker and posting two fumble recoveries, a career-high four sacks, 11 quarterback hits and 35 combined tackles.
