A Texas native who had the opportunity to play at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium as a high schooler before calling the legendary stadium home as a Texas Longhorn for three years, Caden Sterns is a legend in Austin.
After playing football from the age of five (or younger) to now, Sterns officially announced his retirement from the game.
"So to the game I’ll forever love and cherish––thank you for the euphoria, the highest of highs, the tough lessons that didn’t feel like lessons at the time, and the perspective I couldn’t have learned any other way," Sterns wrote on X. "Thank you for the brotherhood. Thank you for the standard. Thank you for the purpose. So with that, goodbye… to the jersey. But not to the work. Not the standard. Not the love."
From 2018 through 2021, Sterns played safety for the Horns and racked up quite a few accolades, alongside his impressive stat sheet.
Caden Sterns' resume at Texas
- Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year (2018)
- First-team All-Big 12 (2018)
- Freshman All-American (2018)
- 173 total tackles (120 solo)
- 8 pass deflections
- 5 interceptions (33 yards)
- 2 sacks
Sterns went on to become a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft when the Denver Broncos selected him 152nd overall. He then spent three seasons on the Broncos' 53-man roster, battling injuries and setbacks throughout his professional career
Caden Sterns' resume at Denver
- 49 total tackles (36 solo)
- 9 pass deflections
- 4 interceptions (72 yards)
- 2 sacks
- 0.5 stuffs
After leaving the Broncos in 2023, Sterns was on the practice squads for the Carolina Panthers and the Philadelphia Eagles while still trying to make a full-time and complete return from injury.
In his retirement announcement, the former Longhorn acknowledged that it had been over two years since he stepped onto a football field in full health, the emotion clearly apparent even over a social media post.
"This isn’t a sorrow post, haha. Because honestly, what I’m feeling most is joy. Pure joy. Gratitude," Sterns wrote. "This game has meant everything to me. It’s the only thing I’ve ever known for 20+ years."
After over two decades of playing football, Sterns has officially hung up the cleats and the jersey, but he will always be a Longhorn Legend.