DENVER - Former teammate Brian Dawkins called Champ Bailey a great conserver of energy, a rare superstar who was never in a rush to get anywhere unless it was on a football field. Mike Pouncey Jersey .In that dawdling, you can count retirement.That finally came Tuesday, 60 days after Bailey was released by the New Orleans Saints when a nagging foot injury prevented him from displaying the speed and skills that led to his cornerback-record dozen Pro Bowl berths in Washington and Denver.He had workouts with the Lions and Ravens and interest from other teams but decided to pursue a new chapter, possibly in broadcasting.Every professional athlete knows and understands that at some point his career will end and it will be time to move on to another phase in life. For me, that time is now, Bailey said in a statement released by the Broncos, for whom he played from 2004-13.I have been truly blessed. I have been able to play this NFL game I love for 15 seasons and yet, it seems like only yesterday that my dreams came true when I received the call from Charley Casserly letting me know the Redskins had made me their first pick in the 1999 draft, Bailey said.The seventh overall pick that year, the University of Georgia star spent five seasons in Washington before the Broncos traded star running back Clinton Portis to the Redskins for the games premier shutdown cornerback.Bailey was the most decorated defender in franchise history with eight Pro Bowl berths while with the Broncos.When GM John Elway returned to his beloved franchise, his first order of business was signing Bailey to an extension.Champ was the pillar in this organization for a long, long time, Elway said. He brought great stability to the Broncos not only as a player but as a person through his ability and leadership. When I came here in 2011, he was the guy that we were going to build around and we were fortunate to have him for three more years to get this team back on track. He was a big part of that turnaround.Peyton Manning paid him the ultimate compliment, saying Bailey had unbelievable cover skills and unbelievable ball skills. He caught the ball like a wide receiver did. Going all the way back to my days playing against him in college, he was truly a great competitor with talent and work ethic. Thats what made Champ such an incredible player.Bailey took many a young cornerback under his wing, among them Chris Harris Jr, who tweeted, Blessed to be able to learn and play opposite Champ for 3 years, and added the hashtags HOF and TBE for the surefire Hall of Famer.Although quarterbacks usually avoided throwing in his direction, Bailey still found a way to get involved and make an impact. He had 52 interceptions, more than any active cornerback. He prided himself on his technique and tackling abilities. In 215 regular season games, Bailey had 983 tackles, three sacks, nine forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.The thing about Champ was he had great ability as a shutdown corner while also not being afraid to stick his nose in there and be a part of the run game, Elway said. He was a complete corner with tremendous toughness and ability to cover.About the only thing that eluded Bailey in his stellar career was a Super Bowl ring.The closest he came was the Broncos trip to the Meadowlands in February when they were blown out by Seattle.With a $10 million salary looming for this season, the Broncos released him in March after Bailey decided he wanted to give a 16th season a try. He later signed with the Saints, but the left foot injury that sidelined him for 11 games last season continued to bother him during training camp and for the first time in his life he didnt make the cut.His last NFL season was a bittersweet one, missing 11 games with the foot injury before returning to action down the stretch and finally getting to play in a Super Bowl, which proved both the apex and nadir of his career.He had a significant part to do with them getting there based on his play in the AFC championship, where he gave up one pass for 4 yards on one foot, said his agent, Jack Reale. He has a tremendous amount to be proud of and really tried to get it done last year when lesser players wouldnt have even tried.Its a safe bet Bailey will end up talking football now that hes done playing it.Media makes a lot of sense for a guy like him, Reale said.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL___Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton Kyzir White Chargers Jersey .com) - The Denver Nuggets snapped a losing streak last time out and will try to carry that momentum Saturday night when they welcome the Indiana Pacers to the Pepsi Center. Uchenna Nwosu Jersey . The mood in Seattle was electrified as the parade featuring the NFL champions began near the Space Needle and made its way to CenturyLink Field, the home of the team. At a ceremony inside the stadium, the team thanked its loyal followers -- the 12th Man -- capping a day of boisterous celebration that drew an estimated 700,000 revelers to Seattle. http://www.chargersprofansshop.com/Customized.html?cat=903 .ca. Hello Kerry, After watching Nino Niederreiter clobber Alex Burrows with an open-ice hit on Wednesday, do you think he should have gotten more than the two minutes for interference.OWINGS MILLS, Md. - The Baltimore Ravens and tight end Dennis Pitta reached agreement on a five-year contract Friday. According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, the deal is worth $32 million. Pitta, Baltimores fourth-round pick in 2010, was set to become an unrestricted free agent when free agency starts March 11. "I could not be more excited to remain a Baltimore Raven," Pitta said in a statement. "There is no better organization or fan base in sports. To be given the opportunity to continue my career here is incredible. This organization drafted me and has always stood by me — especially during my difficult recovery last season. And for that, I am extremely grateful." Pitta has become a favourite option of quarterback Joe Flacco in recent seasons. He missed most of 2013 while recovering from a dislocated and fractured hip, but he returned to catch 20 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown in the final four games. He had 61 catches for 669 yards and seven touchdowns during the 2012 regular season and then added 14 catches for 163 yards and three touchdowns in the playoffs in helping the Ravens win the Super Bowl. "Dennis creates a number of mismatch problems for defences," Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said. Justin Jones Jersey. . "He makes it tough on them. And because of that, he really helps out our wide receivers. "Opponents have to always pay attention to where he lines up and where his routes take him. Dennis is also a big target with very good hands, and his presence in the red zone is very important to us." Without Pitta for most of 2013, Baltimore finished just 18th in passing offence. "It was obvious when Dennis was out last year that we really missed him," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "We all admire how he fought back from the hip injury and helped us down the stretch. Having Dennis as a part of the Ravens now and in the future is exciting news for us. "Dennis has a large catch radius and can snatch the ball in traffic. Not only is he a reliable player, but he is an outstanding person as well. Having a weapon like Dennis makes everyone on our offence better." The deal came a day after the Ravens terminated the contracts of three-time Pro Bowl fullback Vonta Leach and six-year linebacker Jameel McClain. 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