Dante Culpepper retires at age 31

[TZ]

Daunte Culpepper, unable to land a starting or backup job this offseason, announced his retirement at the age of 31.

Culpepper had one-year offers from the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason for backup jobs, but didn't find those offers suitable. Though his surgically reconstructed knee was healthy and his arm still strong during visits to those teams, Culpepper decided to end his career.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3569109

Wow. I remember that super year he had with the Vikings a couple of years ago..and now he can't get work..whoah..I wonder what the back story is here...:o

[nickgutierrez]

1. That knee injury killed his career.

Between that and dumb-ass Nick Saban trying to throw him in the lineup about a year before he was ready, and that he never was the same quarterback without Randy Moss to throw the ball to even before the injury.

[Captain Hilts]

2. The pressure was really on him to play, wasn't it? Sad. Best of luck Dante.

Steer clear of trouble on land and sea.

[trotsky]

3. The #1 problem for Daunte was his agent.

(And for those who don't know, yes, he represented himself. :))

He needed someone to tell him years ago to shut up, take whatever someone is offering, and then work your ass off to prove you're worth more. He had one stellar season here with the Vikes, and thought he was just automatically due a high-paid starting job somewhere. But as noted above, he was never the same after his knee injury, and then went and reaggravated it with the Raiders when he challenged some young rookie to a sprinting contest or something.

It's sad, the kid had potential, but he threw it all away.

[joeybee12]

5. Does the old adage, only a fool has himself for a lawyer apply for

being your own agent? Probably. You need an objective opinion in cases like this, as you implied.

[Auggie]

4. I bet he comes back

[BlooInBloo]

6. UPDATE: Hurts knee on way to his car.

[Alter Ego]

7. Dear Daunte,

The Patriots just lost Tom Brady for the year. How would you feel about throwing to Randy Moss again?