Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway is expected to announce his retirement from the National Football League on March 7th, 2017.
The Minnesota Vikings released an article today letting everyone know that Chad Greenway will hold a press conference tomorrow for an official announcement of his retirement from the NFL.
This news comes before the start of free agency. It is bitter news that comes at a sweet time for the Vikings to address linebacker depth. Greenway was a leader on this team since he was drafted from the University of Iowa in 2006. His career production on and off the field will not be easy to replace.
Greenway left his mark on the Viking’s history books. Finishing with 760 career tackles, he is ranked second for the most tackles in Vikings all time History. In addition to making Vikings history for tackles he is ranked 17th all time for sacks, 13th for forced fumbles, and 30th for interceptions. This production is a large reason for the success the Vikings have experiences over the last decade.
He wasn’t just a standout for the Minnesota Vikings. As a matter of fact, Greenway won many awards throughout his career that are listed below.
Chad Greenway NFL Awards
- NFC Defensive player of the week (Week 2 – 2009)
- Pro Bowl appearance (2011)
- Pro Bowl appearance (2012)
- AP All-Pro team (2012)
.@chadgreenway52 will officially announce his @NFL retirement during a press conference tomorrow. #Farewell52
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) March 6, 2017
📰: https://t.co/vABZXZdB5P pic.twitter.com/WKxje8tynu
On the field Greenway is one of the Vikings all time greats. Another key point is that, off the field he was no exception. He was a leader in giving back with his Lead The Way Foundation and other charity or community events. As a result, he received well deserved recognition for his efforts during his career. Recently, he was nominated for the Walter Payton Mon of the Year Award in 2016.
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With this in mind, it is going to be challenging for fans to move on from a player they have been cheering on for over 10 year but that is a part of the game. Greenway gave the Vikings a solid decade of hard-nosed football while being an excellent role model. His hard work on and off the field will impact the careers of current and future Vikings players for many years to come.