Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears Great, Retires From the NFL After 13-Year Career

Brian Urlacher, an NFL All-Time great linebacker with the Chicago Bears, announced his retirement today.

After 13 years with the same team, including eight Pro Bowl seasons, being named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, and innumerable big hits on opposing players, Urlacher decided he'd had enough of the punishment that comes with playing in the NFL.

Urlacher's retirement announcement came through his Twitter account.  

''After spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made a decision to retire,'' Urlacher said in a statement. ''Although I could continue playing, I'm not sure I would bring a level of performance or passion that's up to my standards. When considering this, along with the fact that I could retire after a 13-year career wearing only one jersey for such a storied franchise, my decision became pretty clear.

''I want to thank all of the people in my life that have helped me along the way. I will miss my teammates, my coaches and the great Bears fans. I'm proud to say that I gave all of you everything I had every time I took the field. I will miss this great game, but I leave it with no regrets.''

Playing for a franchise legendary for its defensive stars and its middle linebackers in particular, Urlacher followed in the footsteps of players like Mike Singletary and perhaps, the player most synonomous with the Bears, Dick Butkus.

Urlacher started 180 games from 2000-2012, and made a team-record 1,779 tackles. He has 41 1/2, 22 interceptions, 16 fumble recoveries and 11 forced fumbles.

Last year, he was slowed by a knee problem and then missed the final four games with a hamstring injury.

He was planning to play in the upcoming season but when he and the Bears could not come to a meeting of the minds on contract negotiations for the 2013 campaign, Urlacher decided to retire from the game rather than take his talents to another team and another uniform.

Urlacher had been posting pictures on Twitter, according to Fox News, indicating he was working his way back into shape before the split with the Bears. But when they announced that negotiations had fallen through and he would not be back, it made Urlacher re-think the process of getting ready to play another NFL season, for a different team.

The old Bear decided, instead, to end his career as an old Bear.