Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Ryan Lilja retires from professional football – NFL News
Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Ryan Lilja announced his retirement on Monday, December 30, 2012, after playing eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL).
The offensive lineman made the announcement while cleaning his locker in the team’s training facility on Monday morning. The player said that he has decided to hang the boots due to injury concerns.
Lilja told the media that Chiefs season finale against Denver Broncos was the last game of his NFL career as a player. According to the Kansas City Star, Lilja said:
“I’m physically ready to shut it down and kind of move on with my life and transition to whatever is next for me and my family. It’s been a great career and it’s gone by really fast. I made a ton of dynamite relationships and friends over the years and have
some great experiences but I’m ready to shut it down.”
Although Lilja has played at guard throughout his career, the player was forced to play at centre in the 2012 season due to number of injuries occurring to players in the Chiefs’ defensive team.
Lilja, 31, has been part of the Super Bowl winning Indianapolis Colts team that won the title twice under the leadership of quarterback Peyton Manning.
The veteran played six seasons with Colts before finally signing for his home town team Kansas City Chiefs in 2010.
Lilja said that he had a feeling before the start of the 2012 season that this could be his last season in the league.
The player has gone through many serious injuries in his career and the back injury he sustained this season also had an influence on his decision to retire. Lilja carried on and said:
“Physically you hit a wall and your body kind of tells you to start thinking about it. I wanted to be in a place where I was at peace with my decision and could move forward and never regret it. I’m there.”
Lilja played 111 games in his career, out of which he started 104 games. He started his professional career with Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2004.
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