Patrick Groetzki Announces Retirement
Patrick Groetzki will retire from professional handball after the 2025/26 season, having spent 19 years wearing the jersey of the Rhein-Neckar Löwen. He will transition into a responsible position in the management of the two-time German champion and cup winner. In the Bundesliga alone, the right wing has made 549 appearances and scored 1,628 goals. He also played 173 matches for the national team, scoring 410 goals.
“At some point, every professional athlete reaches this moment,” begins the “Record Lion” in his farewell statement. “Over these 19 years, the Lions have become more than just a team—they’ve become my home. I’ve made lifelong friends here and truly feel at home. That makes me all the more excited for the next chapter with my club, which will bring brand-new challenges. Just like on the court, I will give everything I have in my new role for the Rhein-Neckar Löwen.”
Holger Bachert, managing director of the Lions, has high expectations for the collaboration starting in summer 2026:
“Patrick has already begun to familiarize himself with the new role, and it’s clear that he approaches it with ambition, dedication, curiosity, and discipline. I’m confident that our cooperation will be outstanding, especially in tandem with the sports division, where we are already excellently positioned with Maik Machulla and Uwe Gensheimer.”
Record Lion Groetzki Announces Retirement: Direct Move to Club Management
As of July 1, 2026, Patrick Groetzki will join the front office of the Rhein-Neckar Löwen. His exact role has yet to be determined, but for the 36-year-old—who successfully completed a business degree with a focus on communication and marketing in 2024—that’s not what matters most:
“I’m primarily excited about the opportunity to help shape things on both a structural and content level. I want to contribute my ideas and convictions to help make the Rhein-Neckar Löwen modern, strong, and full of promise.”
Groetzki’s career statistics read like an excerpt from a handball hall of fame: With 549 Bundesliga appearances, he ranks 11th on the all-time list and is the undisputed number one among Rhein-Neckar Löwen players. He is also the only Lion to have experienced all of the club’s major title wins—from the EHF Cup victory in 2013 to the DHB Cup win in 2023. Since summer 2022, “Johnny” has served as team captain, a role he fulfills conscientiously and with strong opinions.
In the past 2024/25 season, the man wearing number 24 once again proved that he hasn’t lost a step in terms of performance: In 29 games, he scored 73 goals with an impressive shooting accuracy of 76 percent. He also provided 24 direct assists and 14 steals. In February alone, he tallied 17 goals in three matches, shooting 89.5 percent with an average Handball Performance Index score of 80.
His biggest achievements with the national team include winning Olympic bronze in 2016, U21 World Championship gold in 2009, and U20 European Championship silver in 2008. With seven World Championship appearances, he shares the German record in that category with Silvio Heinevetter.
