Former New England Patriots second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk announces retirement
The 24-year-old wide receiver, who was traded to the New Orleans Saints after missing the 2025 season, has been placed on the reserve/retired list, ending his NFL career.
Ja’Lynn Polk, a 2024 second-round selection by the New England Patriots, has retired from professional football and was moved to the New Orleans Saints’ reserve/retired list. Polk appeared in the Patriots’ 2024 season, recording 12 receptions on 33 targets for 87 yards and two touchdowns before undergoing shoulder surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2025 campaign. While on injured reserve, New England traded Polk to New Orleans in a day-three draft pick exchange. The Saints confirmed his retirement ahead of the 2026 training camp.
Polk’s first NFL touchdown came against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 of the 2024 season, and he posted career-high numbers with three catches for 30 yards against the San Francisco 49ers two weeks later. His career totals rank among the lowest for second-round receivers drafted since the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, with 87 receiving yards.
"We wish Ja’Lynn the best in his future endeavors," a Saints spokesperson said.