The Green Bay Packers all-time leading rusher, RB Ahman Green, officially announced his retirement at a press conference. Here's the story from SB Nation.
Green retires as the Packers' all-time leader in rushing attempts (1,851) and rushing yards (8,322), ranks second in rushing touchdowns (54), third in total touchdowns (68), and is seventh in receptions with 350.
He came to Green Bay after finding himself in Mike Holmgren's dog house in Seattle. In one of the more lopsided trades ever, the Seahawks traded Green to the Packers in exchange for oft-injured CB Fred Vinson, who never played a game for them due to a torn ACL.
Green came at a perfect time, just as RB Dorsey Levens had worn out, and they needed a new feature back. He was a great runner, and a solid receiver, who also had the fortune to work behind a great offensive line in the early 2000s. Here's what Mike McCarthy had to say about Green:
The thing I always appreciated was his running style. Just the forward lean and explosion he had as an in-line runner. He also had the unique ability and speed to finish long runs.
The only criticism during his best seasons was that he was prone to fumbles, but those were overshadowed by his overall performance.
He left the Packers after the 2006 season, and I thought it was time. His 2005 season was largely wiped out due to a knee injury, and he wasn't the same player anymore. The Texans signed him to a four-year contract, and he only played in 14 games for them over two seasons.
His surprising return in 2009 was a nice lift for the team, and it gave him enough yards that season to overtake Jim Taylor for the franchise best mark. That might seem a little cheap, but he earned most of those yards while he was running to four straight Pro Bowls in 2001 through 2004.
One of the all-time Packer greats, and I know I was fortunate to watch him play.