Daunte Culpepper Retires

[BrownsFan]

Daunte Culpepper, unable to land a starting or backup job this offseason, announced his retirement at the age of 31.

Culpepper had one-year offers from the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason for backup jobs, but didn't find those offers suitable. Though his surgically reconstructed knee was healthy and his arm still strong during visits to those teams, Culpepper decided to end his career.


[url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3569109"]http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3569109[/url]

[BrownsFan]

I hate to see him go only because he will be remembered for the end of his career as opposed to the beginning and best years. Ever since he shredded his knee in '05 he just wasn't the same.

I am HOWEVER disappointed in the angle he took with this; almost essentially blaming the NFL for this decision? I think his attitude this offseason of "I won't come in unless I am virtually assured of being the starting QB" didn't sit well with owners and coaches and is pretty much why he wasn't asked to come to a camp.

Kudos to him for being one of the few to represent himself but don't be sour at the NFL because YOU feel the NFL is unfair to a degree. The NFL is a business; always has been and ALWAYS will be.

[Sub-Zero]

to me he will always be remembered for someone who looked good bloating his numbers mainly by chucking it to Moss when he was with the Vikes.

[BloodRaven]

[url="http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80a7fe83&template=with-video&confirm=true"]Link here[/url]

[i]Daunte Culpepper, QB

Career Statistics
Experience: 9 seasons
Comp. pct.: 63.8
TD/INT: 142/94
"Farewell NFL," he wrote.[/i]

[i]Former Pro Bowl quarterback Culpepper retires from NFL

MIAMI -- Daunte Culpepper summed up his thoughts Thursday in two words, which ushered in the start of a new era for the former Pro Bowl quarterback.

With that, a career once filled with such promise came to a most unceremonious end.

Culpepper, who starred for the Minnesota Vikings before a major knee injury in 2005 curtailed his career, announced his retirement in an e-mail to NFL Network's Adam Schefter on Thursday morning, saying he's simply grown tired of fighting for one more opportunity. The 31-year-old was the Vikings' first-round draft choice in 1999, became their full-time starter a year later, and teamed with Randy Moss to pile up yards and touchdowns at an impressive rate.

But he hurt his right knee in October 2005, never played for the Vikings again, and never seemed to return to his past level, either.

"When free agency began this year, I had a new sense of excitement about continuing to rebuild my career in the same way that I had rebuilt my knee after my catastrophic injury in 2005," Culpepper said. "Unfortunately, what I found out was that the league did not share any of the optimism about me as an unrestricted free agent that I expected. In fact, there was an overwhelming sense that there was no room for me among this year's group of quarterbacks."

The Miami Dolphins acquired him in 2006 in exchange for a second-round pick, but Culpepper played only four games before being shut down because of continued knee problems. He was sacked 21 times in those four games, and his brief stint with Miami had two compelling images:

-- Getting sacked seven times in his first home game, where fans booed him by halftime.

-- Walking off the field during minicamp in June 2007 because the Dolphins wouldn't let him play, and flanked by a team security official.

"Now that dream to get back on the field and prove everybody wrong is behind him," said Dolphins defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday, who talked to Culpepper about his ongoing comeback quest this summer. "It has to be tough. ... When he was healthy, he was definitely one of the best."

Last season, the Oakland Raiders took a shot on Culpepper, and he made five starts there, albeit only getting 5 touchdown passes in those games. And over the past few months, he tried to get any opportunity around the league, even saying just last week that he'd be willing to be Aaron Rodgers' backup in Green Bay.

There were no takers, and Culpepper saw no reason to keep waiting.

Most touchdown passes in a single season
Year Player TDs
2007 Tom Brady 50
2004 Peyton Manning 49
1984 Dan Marino 48
1986 Dan Marino 44
1999 Kurt Warner 41
2004 Daunte Culpepper 39
1996 Brett Favre 39

[theFRANCHISE]

Whether he'd like to admit it or not, Daunte Culpepper is why Daunte Culpepper couldn't find a job -- NOT anyone else.

Culpepper representing himself was almost like hiring Drew Rosenhaus, minus the negotiation skills; which makes me wonder, what was the point in even being his own agent, when he could've taken the [i]same[/i] negative PR hit with Rosenhaus, and [i]still[/i] manage to sign with a team for a decent payday???

Once he got hurt, he had already peaked before he even knew it. His decline was his own doing, as he singlehandedly made the 2005 Cincinnati Bengals defense look (almost) like the 2000 Ravens by throwing 5 picks in one game.

He never mentally recovered from that season, and I don't believe he was physically ready to return when he went to Miami. His comeback with the Dolphins was premature, and he made a huge mistake in going to Oakland, where careers go to die.

It's sad because his pride won't let him admit that he should've acccepted those offers to be a backup when they were available, and he could've won the starting job in almost any city if he was really as recovered as he thought he was.

[RavensIQ]

I dont know..I think after the first week goes by he might get a couple phone calls from around the league. Who's gonna take a chance on him and sign him b4 the 1st game risking having to pay him his remaining contract (due to the CBA rules) if they decide to cut him later in the season?

Culpepper is definitely High Quality back up material and he could easily start on a handful of teams. I wouldn't be shocked at all if he played at some point this season.

[bossman419]

he and his ego are the reason hes not playing anymore