TAMPA, Fla. -- Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman has decided to retire from the CFL, the Montreal Alouettes announced Saturday.
Freeman, 30, signed a two-year deal with the Alouettes in January, in an attempt to resurrect his once-promising NFL career. But he found himself at the bottom of the depth chart one week into their training camp.
The Alouettes announced on Saturday that international quarterback Josh Freeman has decided to hang up his cleats.
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"We would like to thank Josh for his work and dedication. He was a consummate professional throughout camp," Alouettes general manager Kavis Reed said in a statement. "We respect his decision and we wish him the best in the future."
Freeman's last NFL action came in 2015, when he started one regular-season game for the Indianapolis Colts, throwing for 149 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
The 17th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft, Freeman was touted as the Bucs' first true franchise quarterback and started 59 games for Tampa Bay. His best season came in 2012, when he threw for 4,065 yards with 27 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
The following season, amid on-field struggles, concerns about his personal life and a highly publicized rift with then-coach Greg Schiano, Freeman was released after three games.
Freeman also had stints with the Minnesota Vikings in 2013, New York Giants in 2014, and Miami Dolphins and Brooklyn Bolts of the Fall Experimental Football League in 2015.