Stewart signs 1-day deal to retire with Panthers

Running back Jonathan Stewart has announced he is retiring from the NFL.

Stewart, who spent last season with the New York Giants, signed a one-day contract Tuesday with the Carolina Panthers. Stewart spent 10 seasons with the Panthers and is the franchise’s career leading rusher with 7,318 yards.

Stewart was released after the 2017 season when the Panthers opted to build the offense around Christian McCaffrey, the eighth pick of the 2017 draft. McCaffrey went on to play 91.3 percent of the snaps this past season and set an NFL single-season record for a running back with 107 catches for 867 yards in addition to rushing for 1,098 yards.

Most of the 32-year-old University of Oregon product’s career was spent in a timeshare with DeAngelo Williams in the Panthers backfield. In 2009, they became just the sixth teammates to each rush for over 1,000 yards in the same season.

“It’s with a grateful heart and excitement for this next season of life that I want share with you that I’ve signed a one-day contract and have officially retired from the NFL as a Carolina Panther,” Stewart wrote on the Instagram for a company he owns with his wife, Natalie. “Thank you Panthers for 10 amazing seasons and bringing me to this place that I now call home. Keep Pounding!!!”

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Stewart finished his NFL career with 1,705 carries for 7,335 yards and 51 rushing touchdowns. He added 162 receptions for 1,295 yards and seven receiving scores.

The Washington native earned his only Pro Bowl selection in 2015, when he tallied 1,088 yards from scrimmage and seven total touchdowns in the first season after Williams left to join the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Stewart ranked 14th among all running backs in Approximate Value from 2008 through 2018, according to Pro Football Reference. Stewart spent the 2018 season with the New York Giants after signing a two-year, $6.9 million deal. He made just three appearances for the Giants last year before suffering a season-ending foot injury. The Giants declined the option on Stewart after the season, making him a free agent.

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