UNC Football: Giovani Bernard announces retirement from the NFL

Former UNC football standout Giovani Bernard has called it a career, as he announced that he is officially retiring from the NFL.

After playing 10 seasons in the NFL, former UNC football star running back Giovani Bernard has decided to retire from the sport.

Bernard made the announcement official on social media, as he posted a thread of tweets to thank the important people in his life. The 31-year-old put together a very productive professional career as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

As a Tar Heel, Bernard quickly burst onto the scene. During his freshman season, the Davie, Florida native rushed for 1,253 yards and 13 touchdowns while following it up with 1,228 yards and 12 additional scores as a sophomore. Overall, Bernard accumulated 3,333 yards from scrimmage and 31 touchdowns during his time in Chapel Hill.

Due to his stellar performance for North Carolina, Bernard was selected by the Bengals in the second round (37th overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft. He became a household name in Cincinnati, as he became a reliable option in the backfield over his eight seasons with the organization.

Over 135 NFL games, the former Tar Heel rushed for 3,783 yards and 22 touchdowns. He was also a very valuable weapon in the passing game, as he recorded 367 catches for 2,989 yards.

Bernard put together a very impressive career, as he represented the UNC football program well. The Keeping It Heel team wishes Giovani Bernard the best of luck in his future endeavors!

Follow us @KeepingItHeel on Twitter and like our fan page on Facebook for continued coverage of UNC football news, updates, and recruiting.