After just five seasons in the league, journeyman quarterback EJ Manuel has decided to retire. The move was announced in a league-wide transaction report from the NFL.
The former Bills first-round pick held the status of third-string quarterback with the Kansas City Chiefs prior to retiring.
Manuel was drafted 16th overall pick in the 2013 draft, and immediately made an impact in Buffalo, starting all 10 of the games he played in but only going 4-6. He completed 180 of the 306 passes he threw, yielding 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions on 1,972 yards.
He bounced around with Buffalo for the next three years, starting just seven of the 18 games he appeared in while throwing for 1,540 yards, eight touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Manuel found his way to Buffalo for the 2017 season and made just two appearances (including one start) while passing for 265 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He was released prior to the 2018 season and has not appeared in any game action since, but was picked up by the Chiefs this February.
Manuel’s retirement moves 6-foot-6 Chase Litton, a quarterback who went undrafted in the 2018 draft, into the third slot on the pass-throwing depth chart, still two slots below Patrick Mahomes and a rank shy of Chad Henne.
