Brian Dawkins, who plays for the Broncos, announced his retirement
The vet safety Brian Dawkins called Denver Broncos coach John Fox to tell him that after lots of prayer and reflection, he’d decided that sixteen seasons in the NFL was sufficient.
Acclaimed by his alter ego “Wolverine,” and for his passionate, dynamic play for thirteen years in Philadelphia and three in Denver, Dawkins was one of the greatest to ever play his position, and no-one played safety in the NFL longer than he probably did. Low juice pro football betting
Dawkins, 38-year-old, related he believed he had another year left in him after recovering from a pretty serious neck injury that sidelined him for the stretch run and playoffs last season. But he instead satisfied one last desire from his NFL bucket list: walking away from the game he loves before being betrayed by a battered body or one too many trips round the sun. Low juice college football betting
“It’s potentially going to sound silly, but you know the fact that I may play extra year gave me a lot of peace to claim that this is it,” Dawkins recounted.
Broncos’ director John Elway stated that he wanted Dawkins to play in 2012 but never pressured him to come back.
“It’s always tough to take that last step,” Elway said. “He’ll be missed. He did so many incredible things for the Broncos, not only on the field, but his leadership off the field was something that we’ll always be grateful for.”
He insisted his neck failed to enter the equation, though. He revealed the nerve had regenerated and he was fine.
Dawkins asserted he wasn’t sure whether he’d sign a one-day deal with his former team to ceremoniously retire from the team that drafted him in the 2nd round out of Clemson in 1996, but one thing’s for sure: He’s staying in Denver, where he hopes to support coach high school football in the fall.
Dawkins finished his career in Philadelphia in 2008 as the franchise’s leader in games played (183) and interceptions (34) while spearheading a defense that made the Eagles perennial championship contenders.
Dawkins was named to 1 or 2 All-Pro teams and the NFL’s All-Decade team of the 2000s and he made 9 Pro Bowls, including last season as an alternative. Dawkins completed his career with 17 fumble recoveries, 26 sacks, 37 interceptions, 42 forced fumbles and 98 pass breakups. His 42 forced fumbles are the most ever by a defensive back in the NFL.
As a member of the NFLPA manager committee, Dawkins pushed for new league rules that limited full contact during camp and also in the regular season. He credited those changes in the 10-year work deal reached last summer with keeping him fresh at the beginning of what turned out to be his last season, which he played 1 year after working thru sprains to both knees.
“I only hope that people will remember me as somebody that went out and gave all that he could each week,” Dawkins declared. “Not only the weekend or the day of the game, but every week … and that my squad could depend on me to be there all the time. Not some of the times, not the majority of the times.”