Willie McGinest Plans To Retire

Cleveland, OH (AHN) -- Linebacker Willie McGinest of the Cleveland Browns has announced his plans to retire after the 2008 season.

"This will be it," he told reporters. "This will be my 15th season. I've worked hard; I think I've done everything I set out to accomplish."

While McGinest may be old and slowing down, he has crafted himself a fine legacy in his 15 years as an NFL player. For 12 of those years, he was on the Patriots.

With three Super Bowl rings, two pro-bowl appearances and 78 career sacks with the Patriots, he was a key factor in that franchises recent successes. When things got difficult, McGinest was at his best, breaking the franchise record for most post-season sacks.

McGinest was released from the Patriots in 2006 due to salary cap restrictions. The Browns picked him up for a three year contract, but since then, he has not performed like the workhorse he was in New England. With only 7 sacks and 75 tackles as a member of the Browns, he has seemingly lost the edge that made him a vicious part of the Patriots defense.

"I have no regrets or no qualms about my career," McGinest said in a story that appeared on the Web site Tuesday night. "I've done everything a football player can do and I've done it more than once.".

McGinest has a reputation off the field for being one of the most generous individuals in all of sports. He has set up many charity programs, including the Willie McGinest Freedom School, a program in Long Beach for the cultural enrichment of inner city kids, as well as many charitable functions in both Boston and Cleveland.