Former Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey (99), shown Nov. 3, 2013, spent his first nine NFL seasons with the Titans. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI |
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Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jurrell Casey announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday after 10 seasons with the Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos.
Casey spent his first nine seasons with the Titans and was considered one of the team's most consistent and durable defensive players. The standout defender played three games for the Broncos last season before he suffered a season-ending biceps injury.
The Broncos released Casey in February.
"I made the decision on my own," Casey told reporters. "That was the blessing of it all. I could have been hurt with no team wanting me. To be able to make that decision on my own is a blessing and a feeling that I always wanted to have, to be able to walk away from the game on my own accord."
The Titans selected Casey in the third round (No. 77 overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft out of USC. He played in 139 regular-season games for Tennessee from 2011-19 -- tied for sixth among all defensive linemen during that span -- and missed just five contests over that stretch.
The 31-year-old Casey was a six-time defensive captain for the Titans. His 51 career sacks rank second behind only Jevon Kearse (52) since the organization relocated to Tennessee in 1997.
In 142 career games between the Titans and Broncos, Casey notched 507 total tackles, eight forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 46 stuffs and 16 passes defensed.
"This is a proud day for Jurrell, his family and the Titans family," Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a news release. "There is no greater model for what a player can achieve both on the field and in the community than Jurrell.
"His five Pro Bowls and two Community Man of the Year awards are part of a tremendous legacy for others to follow."
Casey also was a two-time Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee. Casey and his wife, Ryann, established The Casey Fund, which works to support organizations that help at-risk youth and formerly incarcerated people.