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UNC legend Giovani Bernard retires from the NFL

Bernard calls time on a 10 year professional career.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers v San Francisco 49ers Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images

After a ten year NFL career, UNC football legend Giovani Bernard is retiring from professional football.

A 2013 second-round pick to Cincinnati, Gio represented the Bengals for eight seasons before moving on to Tampa Bay for the last two. For his career, he totaled 3,783 rushing yards and 2,989 receiving yards, and ran for 22 touchdowns, catching 14 more. His touchdown totals seem modest compare to his yardage output, but that’s mostly due to years of being handcuffed to teammate (and touchdown vulture) Joe Mixon.

Carolina fans will remember Gio for his two years playing under Everett Withers and Larry Fedora. His teams in 2011 and 2012 were mid, finishing 7-6 and 8-4 and did not notch a bowl win. No matter. Giovani Bernard is an immortal in Chapel Hill for one play:

For as long as he lives, Gio’s name will be cursed under the breath of NC State fans, and sung from the highest mountains by the Carolina faithful. His time at Kenan Stadium was short and his time in the NFL is now over. But he will be celebrated by Tar Heel fans forever.