Jerrell Powe is retiring from the NFL to go back to school at Ole Miss

Former Ole Miss defensive tackle Jerrell Powe announced on Tuesday that he will be retiring from the NFL and will return to the 662 to finish his degree at The University of Mississippi. The big fella played six seasons in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texas and finally the Washington Redskins before calling it quits this week.

The former All-SEC player and PARADE All-American from Wayne County was a beloved individual by all during his time at Ole Miss. From his enormous, contagious grin off the field, to his disruptive play on it, if you didn’t like Jerrell Powe then you were someone who was probably a terrible person. The man had a daggum Grove tent named after him.

In order to commemorate my dude’s return to the Velvet Ditch, let’s relive some of Jerrell’s best moments as a Rebel. (Feel free to share any memories you might have in the comments.)

Big Powe leads the Pride of the South after upsetting Florida

You all remember it. A Houston Nutt-led, unranked Rebels team marched into Ben-Hill Griffin Stadium for an 11 a.m. RAYCOM SPORTS kickoff and took it to the eventual national champion fighting Tebows. This moment is the perfect embodiment of who Powe is: guy who loves football and loves rejoicing with those he holds dear.

Jerrell (almost) scores a touchdown in the Cotton Bowl

Hey, look, another Houston Nutt memory (apologies). Long before a more highly-touted defensive lineman was taking handoffs for the Rebels, Powe did it in Dallas under an enormous television against a shitty Big 12 defense. No, he didn’t score on this play (I think the ball crossed the goal line but I digress), but, by God, Powe was tryna eat and I will always support that.

Powe play fighting in a Walmart parking lot

Let’s veer off the field for a bit here and rejoice in more Powe video gold. Here we see Jerrell in Oxford at the world famous Walmart hanging with some friends. Someone says “happy birthday, Powe” and precedes to start punching him playfully. And in typical Powe fashion, he’s giggling and smiling the entire time because he’s the best person ever.

But, hold up. Now, Powe is squaring up. Wait, Powe is a southpaw?! Oh, snap. Now he’s firing jabs?!?!?! Damn, it’s a good thing Floyd is retiring because Jerrell was probably gonna come after those belts now that he’s not in the NFL. Watch your ass, Money Team, because those guido bodyguards you got are just Chili’s Southwestern egg rolls to Powe.

Jerrell Powe: Man of the People

Staying off the field, here is another example of Jerrell being the very best. Taking time out of his busy schedule as a student-athlete dealing with a 2010 season that was an absolute shit storm (but, that’s not why Houston Nutt is not coaching anymore, no), Powe is seen here making a public service announcement and pledges his allegiance to Chelsea for Miss Ole Miss.

The man is a legend.

Jerrell Powe damn-near beheads a man on live television

Ah, yes, another 11 a.m. RAYCOM kickoff. Except this time, it was never, ever close. In 2008, the year of the Landshark’s inception, the Rebels packed Mississippi State into a rocket and shot them to Saturn. The Bulldogs could only muster 24 total yards that Saturday which was mostly due to only notching -64 yards on the ground and giving up 11 (!) sacks.

Powe pops onto your screen first at the 0:14 mark, plucking the ball out of the sky with gentle grace after Kentrell Lockett cleans up State quarterback Wesley Carroll.

Powe makes another big play at the 1:50 mark, when he almost cuts Tyson Lee in half. My man was a monster in that game, collecting two tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and the athletic interception.

Of course Jerrell is a grill master

Jerrell’s cooking prowess was a thing of legend among his teammates and those in Oxford during his time as a student. Ultimately earning him a Grove tent of his own for his affinity for fried catfish.

This shot of him working the grill is incredibly on #brand for us here at the Cup and we salute him with a shark fin of our own, then and always. Keep cooking, J.P.

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So when you’re in the Grove this fall, lugging around a Newk’s cup full of some cheap bourbon mixed with the elixir of your choice, keep an eye out for the 6’2, 330-pound hunk of a man that we all know and love. We may not be able to go to a bowl game or Atlanta to compete for a SEC title, but that ain’t going to stop Powe from smiling. Ain’t no way.

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