Two NFL players announced their retirement from the game on Wednesday, as former New York Giants safety Deon Grant retired with the team and free agent wide receiver Donald Jones announced on Twitter that he too was retiring after dealing with a kidney disease.
According to ESPN.com, Grant retired as a member of the Giants after starring with the team in 2011 and winning the Super Bowl against the Patriots. Grant did not play in the NFL last season and the last game of his career will be that Super Bowl victory and he said on Wednesday that he wanted to retire with the team so he could "be a Giant for the rest of my life." Grant missed last season with a number of injuries, including shoulder surgery and he spoke about the connection he feels to the organization and that he was thankful to retire as a Giants player.
Grant was a beloved played by fans and teammates during the 2011 Super Bowl run and he retires after playing for the Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks and the Giants during his career. Grant was originally drafted by the Panthers with a second round pick in 2000 and he started 144 games in his career and seven games in the playoffs. During his time with the Giants he played in 36 games and played an integral role in their Super Bowl victory. Grant finished his career with over 700 tackles and 30 interceptions along with 10 fumble recoveries.
Jones posted his news on notes in pictures on Twitter in a long statement, describing his medial battles and issues with his condition and he retires after playing for the Buffalo Bills for three years. Jones signed with the New England Patriots earlier in the season, but he was released over the summer and now retires with 82 catches for 887 yards and six touchdowns and he is coming off the best season of his career after making 41 catches for 443 yards and four touchdowns for the Bills in 2012.
"The Giants are a connection in my heart that I knew that I was supposed to be there," Grant said. "The last year that I signed there to go to the Super Bowl, I could have signed with a bunch of teams, but I wanted to sign with the Giants. The way that the owners opened the doors and signed me back and the general manager [Jerry Reese] and the coaching staff ... we did each other a favor, but it definitely solidified my career for me."
