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John Welbourn retires from Chiefs
By DOUG TUCKER, AP Sports Writer
June 15, 2006
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman John Welbourn announced his retirement Thursday.
Welbourn, 30, was acquired from Philadelphia in 2004 after coming into the league as a fourth-round draft choice in 1999.
He was hampered by a knee injury during his first year in Kansas City, and was suspended the first four games of 2005 for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. This season, he would have competed with newly signed Kyle Turley and veterans Jordan Black and Kevin Sampson at right tackle.
"I decided to retire on my own terms rather than somebody else's," Welbourn told The Associated Press. "It was awesome playing in the NFL. I got to play with a lot of great athletes, Will Shields, Willie Roaf, to name a few. I've been playing football for 16 years and it's a little scary to think I won't be playing any more. But at the same time, it's exciting to think I'll be starting a whole new chapter in my life."
Welbourn, who has nearly completed work on a graduate degree in education, said he planned to enroll in law school. He said he would be filing the paperwork on his retirement with the NFL office.
"I discussed this with the Chiefs a couple of weeks ago," said Welbourn, who participated in last month's minicamp but has been unhappy that the Chiefs would not renegotiate terms of his contract.
A Chiefs spokesman said the team had received a fax from Welbourn's representative indicating "his desire to pursue his studies." Kansas City plans to keep him on the active roster for now, in case he changes his mind.
He was primarily a left guard in five years at Philadelphia, where he played in three NFC championship games.
"It's weird thinking I won't be playing football anymore," he said. "Most guys play until they can't play anymore. But I feel good physically and I've been playing well. I'm leaving on a high note."
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-chiefs-welbournretires&prov=ap&type=lgns
By DOUG TUCKER, AP Sports Writer
June 15, 2006
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman John Welbourn announced his retirement Thursday.
Welbourn, 30, was acquired from Philadelphia in 2004 after coming into the league as a fourth-round draft choice in 1999.
He was hampered by a knee injury during his first year in Kansas City, and was suspended the first four games of 2005 for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. This season, he would have competed with newly signed Kyle Turley and veterans Jordan Black and Kevin Sampson at right tackle.
"I decided to retire on my own terms rather than somebody else's," Welbourn told The Associated Press. "It was awesome playing in the NFL. I got to play with a lot of great athletes, Will Shields, Willie Roaf, to name a few. I've been playing football for 16 years and it's a little scary to think I won't be playing any more. But at the same time, it's exciting to think I'll be starting a whole new chapter in my life."
Welbourn, who has nearly completed work on a graduate degree in education, said he planned to enroll in law school. He said he would be filing the paperwork on his retirement with the NFL office.
"I discussed this with the Chiefs a couple of weeks ago," said Welbourn, who participated in last month's minicamp but has been unhappy that the Chiefs would not renegotiate terms of his contract.
A Chiefs spokesman said the team had received a fax from Welbourn's representative indicating "his desire to pursue his studies." Kansas City plans to keep him on the active roster for now, in case he changes his mind.
He was primarily a left guard in five years at Philadelphia, where he played in three NFC championship games.
"It's weird thinking I won't be playing football anymore," he said. "Most guys play until they can't play anymore. But I feel good physically and I've been playing well. I'm leaving on a high note."
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-chiefs-welbournretires&prov=ap&type=lgns