Atlanta Falcons offensive tackle Todd Weiner announces retirement

February 5, 2:59 PMAtlanta Falcons ExaminerDaniel Cox

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Offensive tackle Todd Weiner announced his retirement from the NFL Thursday, after 11 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons (2002-2008) and the Seattle Seahawks (1998-2001).

The 33-year old lineman was a second round draft pick in 1998 out of Kansas State University.

Weiner was a starter on three Falcons offensive lines that led the league in rushing (2004, 2005, and 2006) and finished second in the league in 2008. He started 118 of the 152 games played in his career.

Atlanta head coach Mike Smith said "Todd Weiner epitomizes toughness, grit and everything a championship caliber football player should be," upon his retirement announcement.

Falcons' fans and players became even more familiar with Weiner's toughness and his commitment to his team over the course of the 2008 season.

After a knee injury ended his season in late November of 2007, he opted for a dangerous (by NFL standards) reconstructive knee surgery. It's difficult for anyone, especially professional lineman whose knees routinely suffer a lot of stress and even more difficult for a player whose knee had already been operated on multiple times.

Weiner had an osteotomy and a microfracture performed on his left knee in December of 2007. The osteotomy is a procedure that requires bone to be cut and realigns the knee. The microfracture pokes tiny holes in bone and draws stem cells to the surface to encourage regeneration.

Each surgery individually should typically require extensive healing time for the cartilage in the knee to heal and mature.

Weiner was back on the practice field in July and completed the entire 2008 season with the Falcons.

Through the course of the season, as his friends and family would watch him hobble off the field, they often wondered why he was putting himself through what they perceived as misery.

"I'm working with what I have right now," he said. "Can't trade this body in."

He added, referring to his career, "Once it's over. It's over."

And today, his career is over. But not before he stepped back in to the starting role at left tackle for the injured rookie Sam Baker halfway through the season and helped guide the team to the playoffs.

His reputation and play earned him the respect of his teammates and coaches, but his resolve this season helped him earn their admiration.

Center Todd McClure said, "It’s a fight for him every week. I don’t know if I could do what he’s doing. He’s sacrificing his body for this team. That’s the type of guy that he is."

Smith described him as "one of the toughest guys I've ever been around."

His play also earned him additional accolades this season.

He was recently named to the USA Today All-Joe team, which honors hard-nosed and overlooked players around the NFL.

In addition to his play on the field, Weiner has impacted the community in the surrounding Atlanta area.

Nominated as the team's representative for the 2008 Walter Payton Award, an award that recognizes players' positive contributions to their communities, he's involved in numerous charitable endeavors including WellSpring Women's House, Pro Athletes Outreach, 4 Quarters 4 Research, and Life Ministries Today.

In 2008, Weiner and his wife committed more than $320,000 to faith-based organizations.

"He will be sorely missed by our football team on and off the field," Smith said, "but one thing is for certain – Todd will always be a Falcon."

After 11 years in the trenches, one of the all-time Falcons tough guys plans to hang up his cleats and roll up his sleeves for more influential work in the Atlanta community.

"The Falcons are a first-class organization," Weiner said "and due to the positive experiences my family and I have had here in Atlanta, we will continue to live and be active members of this community.”