Ryan Benesch Retires After 19 NLL Seasons
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 30, 2026
Ryan Benesch retires
Ryan Benesch has retired from professional lacrosse after 19 NLL seasons, closing the book on a playing career that lasted nearly two decades. Benesch said it is time to “hang up the gloves,” and he said he is ending his career without regrets. Nineteen seasons in the NLL represent a long stretch of commitment, and Benesch reached the point where he was ready to step away from professional lacrosse.
The announcement also put his career in perspective. A player does not last 19 seasons without going through plenty of change around him, and Benesch’s retirement closes a chapter that spanned almost two decades of competition. By saying he is leaving the game without regrets, Benesch put the final emphasis on satisfaction with the path he took and the time he spent in the sport. Benesch is stepping away after 19 NLL seasons, and his own statement sets the tone for how that ending should be read.
Benesch farewell letter
In his farewell letter, Benesch shifted the attention from himself to the people who helped shape his career. He thanked owners, coaches, teammates, training staffs, office staffs, fans and fellow players for their support and competition throughout his career. The list covered every part of the sport around him, from the people who worked behind the scenes to the people he shared the floor with and the people who watched it all unfold. Benesch’s note gave those groups credit for helping carry the experience of a long professional run, and it showed that he saw his career as something built with others around him.
Family sat at the center of that closing message. Benesch said his parents, his wife Jaide and his son Parker gave him love and encouragement along the way. Benesch also said he looks forward to watching Parker’s lacrosse career unfold, which gives the retirement announcement a clear sense of continuity. His son’s future now stands as part of the picture. That detail gave the farewell letter its final note. It was a thank-you to the people who stood with him, a recognition of the competition that defined his career and a nod to the next generation in his own family.
