Lance Briggs Denies He’s Retired, Will Make Decision on Career in ‘Coming Weeks’
Published by Matt Fitzgerald on September 2, 2015
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
Longtime Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs will start the 2015 NFL season as a Bears studio analyst for Comcast SportsNet, but he hasn’t officially retired yet.
CSNChicago.com reported the news of Briggs coming aboard in the first step of his media career, but the seven-time Pro Bowler clarified on Sqor.com that he hasn’t given up on playing again.
“Ahem! I have not filed any papers. I have NOT [sic] offically retired. However, I am excited to begin the next phase of my life, and will make an official decision in the coming weeks!!” wrote Briggs.
The CSN report also included comments from Briggs about the new chapter of his life, which will still keep him around the team he stuck with for all 12 of his NFL seasons for the time being:
I’m excited to continue my partnership with Comcast SportsNet…I’ve had the good fortune of being a part of this network over the past few years. I credit Pat Boyle who immediately made me feel at home here and I always told him I wanted to be here after my career. It’s just a great atmosphere and I love being surrounded by some really great people. This was the right decision for me.
Although Briggs was featured on NFL Network’s Top 100 Players list at No. 83 as recently as 2013, he was an unrestricted free agent the Bears opted not to re-sign this offseason. The arrival of Pernell McPhee and the presence of Jared Allen at the other outside linebacker spot essentially phased Briggs out of a possible reunion with Chicago in a starter’s role.
Brian Urlacher teamed with Briggs in the linebacker corps to lead Chicago among the league’s best defenses in multiple seasons when both players were in their primes. The tandem helped the Bears to Super Bowl XLI, where Chicago fell to the Indianapolis Colts 29-17.
Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times believes Briggs deserves a distinguished place in Bears lore:
As an individual, Briggs is indeed a borderline Hall of Fame-caliber player who’s posted 1,173 combined tackles, 15 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, 16 interceptions and six defensive touchdowns to date.
Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports gauged Briggs’ prospects of landing in Canton, Ohio:
Had the Bears been fortunate to land a superior quarterback when Briggs was at his peak, perhaps the team could have won a championship, in turn bolstering Briggs’ own legacy in the process. He playfully hinted at that notion on NFL Network (h/t ESPN.com’s Jeff Dickerson) in recent comments about Chicago’s unsavory situation at the most important position.
For now Briggs can at least use his outspoken personality as an asset, along with his inside knowledge of the team, to provide excellent analysis on the only NFL organization he’s been a part of.
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