Giants receiver Sterling Shepard bid farewell to his fans in a heartfelt post on Instagram Tuesday, thanking them for their support over the years.
Shepherd, who has spent all eight years of his NFL career with the Giants, just completed the final year of his contract.
“I am forever grateful to the New York Giants organization, my teammates past and present, and our incredible fan base for their unwavering love and support over the past eight years.” Shepard wrote in his post:.
“New Jersey, my second home, will forever hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for embracing me with open arms and making me feel like family. Once a giant, always a giant!”
Sunday will likely be the 30-year-old's last game with the Giants, but he has not announced his retirement.
In Week 18's game against the rival Eagles at MetLife Stadium, the team gave fans a chance to say goodbye and give the veteran a proper sendoff.
Shepherd, the 40th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, was the last to be introduced during pregame introductions and was on the field for the coin toss.
During this game, he also passed Jeremy Shockey on the franchise's all-time receptions list with 372, which ranks him fifth in Giants history.
He was once again given a big round of applause from the crowd.
“I knew this was probably the last time I would wear this jersey,” Shepard said after the win. “I just wanted to embrace it all and enjoy every moment of it with my brothers, and that's exactly what I did.”
Shepard has barely played this season, and his playing time has been cut short the past two years due to torn Achilles tendon and anterior cruciate ligament.
If Sunday was indeed Shepard's last time playing for the Giants, he would have finished with 4,095 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns over the past eight seasons.
