Stecker hangs up his cleats

We’re not likely to become a site that recognizes every player who decides to retire. But I was struck this morning reading that Aaron Stecker is hanging up his cleats for good.

Stecker was far from a star. He ran for more than 1,500 yards for his career, not in any given season. He also contributed about 1,200 yards receiving. He played on special teams a lot as well.

He missed out on the New Orleans Super Bowl run last year when he left for Atlanta after five years in the Big Easy. But he did win a ring with Tampa.

I think the reason I liked Stecker was that he always stayed out of trouble and he seemed to pop up when it mattered. Couple backs get hurt. No problem. That’s what we’ve got Stecker for. Guys like that are invaluable on good teams.

He went undrafted out of Western Illinois but managed to string together 11 years in the NFL. As he put it in the New Orleans Times Picayune, “I lasted longer than a lot of running backs who got drafted before me.”

Well done.