After suffering a knee injury early in 2017, it seemed like Zach Strief’s career was finishing up. The veteran offensive lineman made the news official on Monday, retiring after playing with the Saints for his entire career.
Strief was drafted out of Northwestern in the seventh round in the 2006 NFL draft and appeared in 158 games over the last 12 seasons.
“My career here has exceeded my wildest imagination,” Strief said in a press conference at the team’s training facility. “I didn’t think this was going to last through my first August, let alone 12 years.
“My admiration for the New Orleans Saints organization has grown daily throughout my career. Thank you to everyone who has played a role in it; it certainly was not accomplished alone.”
He admitted that he considered retirement last season, but decided to hold back on it due to what seemed to uncertainty on the offensive line. With the emergence of Ryan Ramcyzk, it made the decision a little easier, joking that his retirement was the rookie out of Wisconsin’s fault.
-Clint Domingue