Seattle great Jones retires after 13 years
Four-time All-Pro Seattle Seahawks lineman Walter Jones has retired after a 13-year career during which he became a cornerstone of the team and one of the players against whom other left tackles were measured.
Four-time All-Pro Seattle Seahawks lineman Walter Jones has retired after a 13-year career during which he became a cornerstone of the team and one of the players against whom other left tackles were measured.
The 36-year-old Jones made the announcement in a team news release yesterday. It had been expected for months. Jones hasn't played since Thanksgiving Day 2008 and has had two knee surgeries in that span.
"What a great day to be a Seahawk," Jones posted on his Twitter page yesterday afternoon.
Jones will be at a news conference this afternoon at team headquarters in Renton, Wash., to discuss his decision and his career.
The team is immediately retiring Jones' number 71 jersey.
Noteworthy
* Chris Johnson has been very vocal about wanting to be paid more after making NFL history, and now he's taking his next step in making sure the Tennessee Titans know how serious he really is.
The Titans wrapped up their second on-field session yesterday, and Johnson wasn't there. The two-time Pro Bowl running back is staying away from the voluntary team practices as part of his campaign for a very big pay hike since becoming only the sixth player in NFL history to run for at least 2,000 yards.
Johnson has 3 years left on the $12 million contract he signed in 2008 that featured $7 million guaranteed. But his base salary for 2010 doesn't even put him close to being one of the best-paid players on the Titans, let alone the NFL. Johnson is due $550,000 for 2010.
* If the San Francisco 49ers get a new stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., they could host a future Super Bowl.
The NFL Super Bowl Advisory Committee says it supports the plan to build the stadium in Santa Clara and will encourage a Super Bowl bid there.