Longtime guard Brian Waters has officially announced his retirement from the NFL in a statement. The 37-year-old had his final season cut short by a torn triceps, and didn’t appear likely to continue his playing career this season, unless perhaps one of the Texas clubs had significant interest. Now, he has confirmed that he’ll retire, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com details.
“I want to thank the coaches, players and fans of the three great organizations that I had the pleasure of working for,” Waters said in his statement. “First the Dallas Cowboys for giving me my first and last chance of working in the NFL. I will always be grateful. Also the New England Patriots for the most successful season in my career. It was a great ride. Lastly the Kansas City Chiefs where I had pleasure of enjoying eleven wonderful seasons, which I will never forget.”
Playing at left guard for most of his career, Waters was named to two first-team All-Pro squads, and also earned six Pro Bowl berths, including one as recently as 2011, when he played for the Patriots. During his heyday with the Chiefs, Waters was a key part of an offensive line that paved the way for a handful of huge seasons by running backs like Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes.