Five days after officially retiring from the NFL, former New England Patriots wide receiver Malcom Mitchell was back in Boston to support his Read With Malcolm literacy initiative.

Speaking with ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss and other media members at a South Boston school, Mitchell delivered an emotional message to those who supported him during his brief time in New England.

“You know, I am not 100 percent sure where I will end up in life,” Mitchell said when Reiss asked if he had anything important he’d like to share. “With football, it is easy to see into the future and build an idea of where you want to end up. With that gone, it has been a little hazy to see where I will end up. But one thing I hope people in New England know is that I made sure I went out a Patriot.”

(You can watch Mitchell’s response by clicking here.)

The Patriots drafted Mitchell in the fourth round out of Georgia in 2016, and he showed great promise as a rookie, becoming an important cog in New England’s offense over the second half of the season and catching six passes for 70 yards in Super Bowl LI.

Chronic knee injuries derailed Mitchell’s career, however. He was limited to just one preseason appearance in 2017 and was waived before the 2018 season, making that comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons his final official game in a Patriots uniform.

Mitchell announced his retirement Saturday during an event at his alma mater.

Thumbnail photo via Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY Sports