New York Giants punter Jeff Feagles speaks to the media after announcing his retirement at rookie NFL football mincamp Friday, April 30, 2010 in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)Bill Kostroun/The Associated Press
New York Giants punter Jeff Feagles, the NFL's iron man, announced his retirement on Friday after 22 seasons and a league-record 352 consecutive games.
Feagles, at 44 the league's oldest active player, signed a contract earlier this month to play another season, but changed his mind after having physical trouble getting ready for the next campaign.
A member of the Giants the past seven seasons, Feagles previously played for the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks.
He had a 41.6-yard career gross average and a 35.9-yard net average and never missed a game in his career.
"It is an incredible, incredible accomplishment," Giants coach Tom Coughlan told reporters about Feagles's streak.
"I look at Jeff ... I think of an individual that is totally reliable, totally dependable, totally honest, completely trustworthy, and has all of the necessary ingredients for success."
Feagles said he realised it was time to quit.
"My mind was telling me that I want to come back and do this," Feagles told reporters. "I have been doing it for half my life.
"But I started working out and my body -- it is just not recovering the way it is supposed to."
Coughlin said he had mixed feelings.
"It is a happy day because I think everybody in the organisation is happy for Jeff and his family," Giants coach Tom Coughlin told reporters.
"It is a sad day because I walked around this morning and I listened to a lot of people in our organisation and their thoughts were that Jeff would be here forever. I think that is the way, honestly, we all feel."