Champ Bailey decides to retire after 15 NFL seasons

After 15 NFL seasons, cornerback Champ Bailey has decided to retire and move onto his next career outside of football.

The 12-time Pro Bowl player spent his NFL career with the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos, and played his final NFL game in this year’s Super Bowl, losing 43-8 to the Seattle Seahawks.  

“At this time, Champ has decided not to accept on-field opportunities and pursue another career path,” [agent Jack] Reale said, per ESPN.com. “He could be playing right now if he wanted to be.”

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Bailey, who was scheduled to make $10 million this season, was released by the Broncos in the offseason and signed by the New Orleans Saints, who sought to add a veteran presence in their secondary. He was cut before the start of the season.

Reale said that “a couple of teams,” including a few contenders, had called about his client’s availability for this season. Ultimately, Bailey has decided to forgo the chance to latch on with a team this season, start a new chapter and start the clock on his inevitable induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

“To play the end of this season and maybe next season, given his opportunities, he could have done that,” Reale said. “But he decided it was best to move on to those other areas. I think everybody on his team agreed that was a good approach.”

Bailey, 36, collected 52 interceptions in his career, which included the past 10 with the Broncos. He played in only five regular-season games last year, starting three, but was a fixture on the Broncos’ defense in the run to the Super Bowl.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm