London Fletcher has become an elite player in the NFL over his long career. After 16 years, and 254 consecutive games, the veteran has finally decided that he has had enough. Fletcher is a linebacker for the Washington Redskins, a team that has been struggling over the 2013.
At the age of 38, Fletcher feels that he has done all that he can, and he announced that he is 99-percent certain that he will retire after the season finishes.
He added that he will not make the final decision until a final discussion with his wife, but feels that he has accomplished everything that he is able to as a player in the NFL.
Speaking on his possible retirement, Fletcher said “What every player wants to do is to leave a legacy.”
In the upcoming game against the Dallas Cowboys, London Fletcher will be starting in his 214th game, which is a record for NFL linebackers.
He also needs only two tackles in their final two games of the season in order to get his 14th straight 100-tackle season.
He has also made his case for the NFL Hall of Fame throughout his career, and in addition to the starts, he has been sent to four Pro Bowls, and was a part of a St. Louis Rams team that won Super Bowl XXXIV.
London Fletcher began his career wtih the Rams in 1998, and before joining the Washington Redskins in 2007, he spent five seasons with the Buffalo Bills. Besides his time with the Rams when they were an elite team with Kurt Warner, he has spent much of his career with struggling teams.
Although the Redskins made it to the playoffs this year, Robert Griffin III has not played like he did last year, and was even benched for Kirk Cousins recently, although it was said that it was for his safety.
The Washington Redskins are currently 3-11, and London Fletcher may be forced to end his career on one of the worst teams in the league, in an unfortunate situation that sees them in second to last place, above only the Houston Texans who recently fired their coach. The Redskins are in last place in the NFC East, the worst division in the league.
London Fletcher is without a doubt, a Hall of Fame player. Any era.
— Clint Oldenburg (@ClintOldenburg) December 19, 2013
No doubt london fletcher is a hall of famer. Did it right way for a long, long time. Congrats to a great man on a terrific carreer.
— Chris Cooley (@thecooleyzone) December 19, 2013
He is clearly disappointed with the way the season has gone, with their last home game being a 45-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He said of the situation, “Obviously everybody wants to go out like Ray Lewis with the Super Bowl parade and winning the Super Bowl. That would be great. . . . It wasn’t in the cards for me, if this is it.”
London Fletcher is likely to retire on a poorly performing team, but will always be remembered as one of the best linebackers in the league.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NTmtk2SmPI
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