NFL: Chicago Bear Linebacker Brian Urlacher Retires After 13 Seasons

After 13 seasons playing linebacker for the Chicago Bears, Brian Urlacher has decided to hang up his cleats and announced his retirement.

"After spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made a decision to retire," Urlacher said in a statement he posted on Twitter. "Although I could continue playing, I'm not sure I would bring a level of performance or passion that's up to my standards. When considering this along with the fact I could retire after a 13-year career wearing only one jersey for such a storied franchise, my decision became pretty clear."

Urlacher; who won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2000, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2005, and is an eight-time Pro-Bowler; parted ways with the Bears after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract.

Chicago drafted Urlacher out of New Mexico, who was playing free safety at the time, and converted him to middle linebacker. Urlacher thrived at the position - following in the great Chicago linebacker tradition of Mike Singletary and Dick Butkus - and finished his career as the franchise leader in career tackles (1,192).

Urlacher is one of only four players to make 40 or more tackles and 20 or more interceptions since 1982, when the NFL began to tracking sacks as a statistic. Urlacher also has the third most interceptions (22) since 2000 and led the Bears defense to Super Bowl XLI, losing out to Payton Mannng and the Indianapolis Colts.

Knee, hamstring, and neck injuries hampered the linebacker the last couple of seasons and wasn't the dominant force that had captured the heart of Chicago's rabid football fans.

"I will miss my teammates, my coaches, and the great Bears fans," said Urlacher, in his statement. "I'm proud to say that I gave all of you everything I had every time I took the field. I will miss this great game, but I leave it with no regret."