ESPN - Culpepper, unable to catch on as free agent, retires at age 31 - NFL

A sad day for me for one of my favorite players of all time. Yeah it was an up and down ride for sure, and I'm sure people will have plenty to trash talk about this guy, but I enjoyed watching him play. And I enjoyed his heartfelt letter announcing his retirement. I don't think any of this is meant to be bitter or angry, just a guy who sounds very disappointed in a sport he loves turning him away.

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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. 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; whether in a starting, competing or a back-up role. No matter what I did or said, there seemed to be a unified message from teams that I was not welcome to compete for one of the many jobs that were available at the quarterback position. It seems that the stance I took in both Minnesota and Miami regarding my rights as a person and player has followed me into free agency.

After taking a long look at my career and my personal convictions, I have decided to begin early retirement from the NFL effective immediately. Since the beginning of training camp I was told that my opportunity would come when a quarterback gets hurt. I cannot remember the last time so many QB's have been injured during the preseason. I have been strongly encouraged from family, friends and league personnel to continue to be patient and wait for an inevitable injury to one of the starting quarterbacks in the league. I would rather shut the door to such "opportunity" than continue to wait for one of my fellow quarterbacks to suffer a serious injury. Since I was not given a fair chance to come in and compete for a job, I would rather move on and win in other arenas of life.

The decision I made in 2006 to represent myself rather than hire an agent has been an invaluable experience. I now understand why so many people within the NFL community are uncomfortable with a player really learning the business. The NFL has become more about power, money and control than passion, competition and the love of the game. Regardless of this shift, player's rights are still supposed to be a part of this league. Since I will not be given the opportunity to honor the memory of Gene Upshaw by wearing a patch on my uniform this year, I will instead spend some of my energy applying what he taught me about standing up for what is right and not sitting down for what is clearly wrong.

I want to thank my family and my fans for their unwavering belief in me as a person and a player. I embraced both the peaks and the valleys of the game and my career. I am a better person today as a direct result of the experience of playing in the NFL. I can now focus on the enjoyment of watching some of the greatest athletes in the world play the game I love without the distraction of waiting for those elusive return phone calls.

Thankfully,
Daunte Culpepper

The NFL Coaches and owners really baffle me on this one. He has like a 94 Qb rating. He has an accurate arm, a big strong body, and more mobility than most. I feel he is better than half of the Qb's starting, and I know that will draw fire. I wish he would have went to Green Bay early this preseason. I believe he would have won that job, even though there wasn't supposed to be an oppurtunity to compete. It would have been hard to have a guy like him at practice and not noticed what you had.

He'll come back. The game is too much in his blood. He just got a raw deal and he is going to be unwilling to prove himself like he's a kid again. All the promise in the world and its over at 31.

wow. very sad.

Like I mentioned in another thread I applaud him for sticking to his morals but I think he's a moron.

NFL football is a finite experience allowing him a chance to play at the highest level and earn rediculous sums of money doing it. He will never have another shot at playing football in the NFL. And at 31 with bionic knees he only has a few more years to enjoy the game and the paycheck.

Teams have their reasons for wanting to deal with an agent and not the player....or no one would have an agent. This is a time where he needed to plug his nose and swallow his pride. Pay the freaking agent and play out the last years of your career. Plenty of time to try other business efforts.

Sounds pretty establishment which I am not. But if in the same situation I would have gone with an agent who in his/her contract is required to teach me "the business" and I would try to reform the NFL after finishing my career.

Culpepper is such a talented and stand-up individal who clearly loves and respcts the game more than most people today. If he never plays again it will be sad, but I'm almost certain that he will play an important role in the NFL somehow. He's a fun QB to watch.

The Ravens should send him a text.

Did nobody watch this guy in Miami? Anybody taken a serious look at his record as a starter? Anybody watched this guy try to actually read a defense?

He did fine when he had amazing receivers to throw the ball to. When he had to actually make decisions, he was never good.

If he wanted to be on an NFL team this year, he could be on one within a week. All he needs to do is agree to play for what he is currently worth, the veteran minimum.

Do I feel sorry for him? No. This guy has made more money, in less than 10 years, than I will probably ever see in my lifetime, and more money that most of us here will ever see in a lifetime. And he made this money playing a game. He should feel blessed that he got this opportunity.

Just thinking the Ravens need a QB and Culpepper would be an option they should look at, that's all.

So does Tenny and New England.

Moss would likely like to have him right about now.

I can't see Belicheat dealing with Culpepper's inability to read a defense to be honest. He just doesn't fit their style of play, even with Moss. Welker would be useless with Culpepper.