Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Sidney Rice has announced his retirement from the sport.
Rice spent four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before joining the Seahawks in 2011 and was part of the side which won the Super Bowl in February.
He has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons, with nine appearances in 2011 followed by just eight outings last term. The 27-year-old has admitted that he has now decided to call it a day, with the fear of concussions at the back of his mind.
He told Seahawks.com: "I was just thinking about things I've been through in the last few years. I've hit the ground a number of times and I have quite a few injuries.
"I just figure, at this point I have the rest of my life ahead of me and I want to be able to function and do things later down the road.
"I set out as a 6-year-old to be a professional athlete and I've accomplished that goal.
"But I also never dreamed about making the Pro Bowl. I never dreamed about winning the Super Bowl. Those things came along with the dedication. And then there are the people I've met along the way. It's just been so good."
Last season, Rice caught 15 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns before going on the team's injured reserve.
Joe McPhee
