Udeze Retires
Kenechi Udeze had hoped to make a return to football after missing a year to battle leukemia, but lingering physical issues have forced the former first-round draft pick to call it a career.
Udeze reportedly made his decision after struggling through minicamp practices, hindered by post-chemo neuropathy. He was also apparently having issues with his weight. He will now devote himself full-time to his on-going recovery and charitable endeavors on behalf of cancer research.
In four years with the Vikes, three in which he started all 16 games, Udeze amassed 11 sacks. Fans may unfortunately recall the infamous sack goose-egg he put up in 2006, a stat that became emblematic of that year’s defense’s overall ineptitude. But there’s no sense lingering on that kind of stuff now. Udeze is a courageous guy, who needed pooploads of guts to even come back as far as he did, and we all wish him well.
Sad to go out that way. ditto for Charles Gordon.
July 30th, 2009 at 10:49 amSad to see him go, though in my mind he has already been gone for years due to all those injuries.
Its just so unfortunate for a guy who was as brilliant a run stopper as sack machine he may have become. Paired with Jared Allen we would have had our four horseman for sure.
Take care Kenechi, goodbye one more time!
July 30th, 2009 at 1:28 pm