Warren Sapp - Retires

Now this is a retirement we all saw coming. In January, just before the Raiders final game of the season, Warren Sapp announced on his website 2 simple words, "I'M DONE!" And today he filed the paperwork with the Oakland Raiders making his departure official.

The 13 year veteran cited declining physical skills as the main reason behind his decision to end his NFL career. Sapp rebounded after a few declining seasons and racked up 10 sacks in 2006. Though he started every game this season, he had only 2 sacks, his lowest total in his NFL career. Sapp finished with 573 tackles, 448 of them solo, 30 deflected passed and 19 forced fumbles. His 96.5 career sacks, second overall for a defensive tackle, and 28th overall for defensive linemen.

The defensive tackle was drafted out of Miami in 1995 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sapp spent mostof his best years in TB and developed the nickname "QB Killa." He had a knack for dirtying up the jersies of opposing quarterbacks. In 2000, Sapp racked up a staggering 16.5 sacks and 52 total tackles, both career highs. Sapp was voted into seven straight Pro Bowls (1997-2003) and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 1999. Sapp registered 2 tackles and 1.0 sacks when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Raiders in Super Bowl XXVII.

I'll remember Sapp for being funny, outgoing, and full of life and personality. Back in the day, he always had something sharp or stupid to say. Sapp has been pretty quiet on the defensive end lately as you can tell by his stats, but the funloving teddy bear seems to have disappeared too. The news we've heard about the QB Killa recently was mostly negative. He was fined $75,000 for "physical and verbal actions toward game officials that drew an unprecedented three unsportsmanlike conduct penalities" and was ejected from the Raiders second to last game of the 2007 season, and ultimately, his career.

Either way, shout out to Sapp fro giving us some great years. We can only hope that we'll find other defensive lineman that can bring the same intensity and power to the game.