Falcons DE Osi Umenyiora plans on playing at least one more...

Falcons DE Osi Umenyiora plans on playing at least one more season

Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman Osi Umenyiora said he has no plans of retiring and expects to be playing in 2015, reports ESPN.

“Zero plans to retire at this moment,” said Umenyiora, who is set to become a free agent March 10. “I feel like I can still play, No. 1. The way things ended last year, I’m just not going to end my career like that. That’s not going to happen.”

The 2015 season will be Umenyiora’s 12th season in the NFL and he said he can still contribute if he lands with the right team.

“I feel like when put in the right situation and given the opportunity to play, I would still be able to help somebody. I want to end the way it’s supposed to end,” he said.

Umenyiora signed a two-year, $11 million contract with the Falcons in 2013 season. He started 13 of 16 games, lead the Falcons with 7.5 sacks, but was moved into designated pass rusher role by year’s end.

Last season, Umenyiora played 326 of 1,038 defensive snaps, finished with just 2.5 sacks and didn’t start a single game.

Umenyiora added he expects to be back with the Falcons in 2015 and wants to play at least one more year.

“I think I did the right things when I was there, especially last year,” he said. “I did and said all the right things and I’m in great shape. Whether or not they decide to re-sign me, that’s another story. But do I expect them to look into it? I would think so.”

Umenyiora did say he is mulling a media opportunity in his birthplace of London. But insisted playing at least one more season of football is his priority right now.

“I think I’ll know exactly when the time [to retire] is right,” Umenyiora said. “When you’re physically not able to play anymore, you’ve got to be honest with yourself. You have to watch tape and study yourself from when you had good years, when you had not-so-good years. You have to look at your explosion, how you’re playing the game; if you still want to practice. And you have to have enough pride that you’re not going to go out there and embarrass yourself. You don’t want to go out there and look like a fool.

“More importantly, I think the league will let you know when you’re done. Ain’t no charity cases being handed out. Either they feel like you can help them or that’s it for you. If you’re unable to play, they’ll tell you because you’re not going to have a job.”

Umenyiora was a second-round (56th overall) pick of the New York Giants in 2003 and he did admit that ending his NFL career where it began has crossed his mind as he prepares to enter free agency, especially since he plans to retire from the league as a Giant.

“It was nearly a third of my life that I was there in New York, and I did a lot of good things there,” Umenyiora said. “As a team, we won some Super Bowls. I was able to go to a couple of Pro Bowls and be like an All-Pro player over there. Unless I’m able to do that somewhere else — which I don’t know how likely that is — then it would only make sense, whenever it is that I retire.

“I’m not going to play another 10 years. I’m not going to play another three years. Whenever it is that I retire, I think it would only make sense for me to do that as a Giant.”

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