When the Chicago Bears decided to part ways with Brian Urlacher back in March, we thought about how weird it was going to be seeing him in a different NFL uniform next season. But as it turns out, next season won't be weird at all. That's because Urlacher just announced that, rather than wait around for someone to sign him this offseason, he has decided to retire from the NFL for good.
"After spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made the decision to retire," he said in a statement released earlier today. "Although I could continue playing, I'm not sure I would bring a level of performance or passion that's up to my standards. When considering this, along with the fact that I could retire after a 13-year career wearing only one jersey for such a storied franchise, my decision became pretty clear."
Urlacher recorded 939 tackles, 41.5 sacks, and 22 interceptions during his time with the Bears. That makes him one of only four players in NFL history to record 40 sacks and 20 interceptions during his career. In other words, the eight-time Pro Bowler had quite the career. Enjoy retirement, Brian.
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[via Eye On Football]
