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Minnesota Vikings defensive end Brian Robison said he expects to retire after the 2018 season to complete a dozen years with the team. Robison agreed to restructure his contract last month, giving him two more years before retiring following his 12th NFL season, all with Minnesota.
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"I really do believe that probably at the end of those two years, it will be it," Robison told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press on Friday. "It'll be about my time to call it (a career), but we'll see how I feel when I get there. ... But I would say that more than likely, that will probably be the time that I'm going to have to lay things to the side and get ready for life after football.''
Robison, who turns 34 on April 27, originally had one year left on his contract, a nonguaranteed $5.6 million for 2017. He agreed to drop his base salary to a guaranteed $3.9 million while also getting a $100,000 workout bonus, according to the Pioneer Press.
Robison also got 2018 added onto his new deal for a base salary of $3.2 million -- with $1.25 million guaranteed -- and a $200,000 roster bonus and $100,000 workout bonus. The move created an additional $1.8 million in 2017 salary-cap room for the Vikings.
"This solidifies me to be able to retire as a Minnesota Viking,'' said Robison, who will be at the team's offseason workouts starting Monday. "It was an opportunity for both sides to get what they wanted. Something you don't necessarily see in this league anymore is loyalty on both sides. ... I had a long talk with (general manager) Rick Spielman, We were on the phone for probably 45 minutes, just discussing it.
"I understood what was going on, but at the same time they wanted me to know there was nothing I did wrong or anything like that. They just felt it was an opportunity that could work out for both sides, and I 100 percent agreed with them.''
Robison, a fourth-round pick in 2007, recorded 7.5 sacks in 16 games last season. For his career, he has 56 sacks in 158 games.
