Titans QB Kerry Collins is hanging up his cleats after 16 seasons.
The 38-year-old former first round pick of the expansion Carolina Panthers in 1995 announced his retirement from the NFL today.
“The past several months have brought on much introspection, and I have decided that while my desire to compete on Sundays is still and always will be there, my willingness to commit to the preparation necessary to play another season has waned to a level that I feel is no longer adequate to meet the demands of the position,” Collins said in a statement released by his agent, David Dunn.
Besides Carolina and Tennessee, Collins also suited up for three other teams (New Orleans, New York Giants and the Oakland Raiders).
Collins, who faced some troubles off the field (using a derogatory racial term, drinking and driving, alcohol rehab), was a pretty good quarterback.
He threw for 40,441 yards with 206 touchdowns and 195 interceptions and was a two-time Pro Bowler (1996 and 2008).
Collins came to Tennessee in 2006 to teach Vince Young the ins and outs of being a NFL quarterback, but took over for an injured Young after the first game in 2008 and led the Titans to a 12-3 record and the top seed in the AFC.
Collins was expected to help groom the Titans eighth overall pick Jake Locker. But with his retirement, the Titans are left with two inexperienced QBs (Locker and second year player Rusty Smith).
Now the Titans will have to bring in a vet once the lockout ends to help the young QBs because Collins is throwing the duces.
I just hope he doesn’t pull a Brett Favre and try to come back out of retirement once this lockout ends.
