NFL wide receiver Chris Hogan declares for Premier Lacrosse League entry draft

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Former Super Bowl champion Chris Hogan, who caught 216 passes over nine NFL seasons, is returning to his other favorite sport -- lacrosse.

Hogan, 33, has entered his name in the Premier Lacrosse League entry draft on March 25, he confirmed Saturday.

"As many of you know, my roots are in lacrosse, and I'm excited to fight for a roster spot with the best in the world!" he posted on Twitter on Saturday.

Hogan was a four-time letter winner and captain at Penn State, where he played lacrosse from 2007 to 2010 after a highly decorated career at Ramapo High School in northern New Jersey. He was a midfielder for the Nittany Lions, scoring 29 goals as a junior and earning all-ECAC recognition. His coach once said he "could be the best middie in Division I."

In his intro video before prime-time games as a member of the New England Patriots, Hogan announced his alma mater as "Penn State lacrosse." He used his final year of eligibility to play football at Monmouth (N.J.) University.

Hogan didn't say whether he's retiring from the NFL.

He played last season for the New York Jets, catching 14 passes for 118 yards in five games. The Jets were so depleted at wide receiver that Hogan, who signed in training camp, became an immediate starter. He landed on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain and was waived from IR in December.

His best years came with the Patriots, from 2016 to 2018. He became a sure-handed target for Tom Brady and won two Super Bowl rings in New England before moving on to the Carolina Panthers and Jets. He began his career with the Buffalo Bills.

In a 2019 interview with US Lacrosse Magazine, Hogan said he would "absolutely" be interested in playing lacrosse again. He still owned a stick, he said, but hadn't worn gloves in eight years.

In 2018, Hogan reportedly became an investor in the Premier Lacrosse League, which consists of eight teams after a recent merger with Major League Lacrosse. The entry draft is for players who never have played in the PLL.