Former Penn State quarterback Kerry Collins is retiring from the NFL, the AP reports. Collins, who played in 10 games for the Tennessee Titans last year, cited a dwindling interest in preparing as the main reason for his retirement.
↵↵↵"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.
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It's got to be tough to keep going as you get older, injuries take their toll, and you've got to work harder every year just to tread water.
↵Collins was the first player ever selected by the Carolina Panthers organization, with the fifth overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft. Collins played parts of four seasons for the Panthers before being placed on waivers and catching on with the Saints, and then the Giants, where he settled in as sort of an average-ish starting quarterback for a while. He was the quarterback for the Giants in 2000 when they went to the Super Bowl. He played for the Raiders in 2004 and 2005, and then with the Titans for the last five years.
↵It's surprising that Collins stuck around as long as he did, but then playing quarterback in the NFL isn't easy to do.