Antrel Rolle retired Monday, although the former Cardinals safety retired a lot like many players end up doing -- the decision was pretty much made for him, with no interest out there. Rolle admitted on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" spending the back half of the 2015 on injured reserve with the Chicago Bears and being 33 didn't help his current status.
"I'm done," Rolle said, adding, "I'm at total peace with that."
Rolle -- who left the Cardinals after the 2009 season, and more on that in a moment -- was just in Arizona this summer attending the retirement press conference of fellow former Card Darnell Dockett. (That's Rolle to the left in the photo below, talking to Adrian Wilson.) Wilson was already retired, and another former teammate who was there -- Antonio Smith -- sounded like he was considering it, although Smith ended up re-signing with the Texans after J.J. Watt got hurt.
Rolle's five years with the Cardinals were interesting, as was his departure. Drafted eighth overall in 2005 to play cornerback for Dennis Green, Rolle eventually moved to safety -- a position many assumed he'd eventually play even from the time he was drafted. He had a memorable game in 2007 in Cincinnati, returning two Carson Palmer interceptions for touchdowns and actually did it a third time only to have the score called back on a questionable roughing call post-pick on none other than Smith.
He was young and brash, like Dockett and Karlos Dansby, on a defense that wasn't always consistent but that stood up during that 2008 Super Bowl run. His six-year rookie contract was bulky though, put together in a day long before rookie slotting. So coming into 2010, with a $4 million roster bonus due and an $8 million salary, the Cardinals -- who tried and failed to get an extension done -- released Rolle. He became part of the star-studded exodus that offseason (Kurt Warner, Dansby, Anquan Boldin as well) that shifted dramatically the Ken Whisenhunt era.
Rolle went on to get not only his big money (there was a similar offer from the Cards Rolle turned down) but big attention in New York with the Giants, making three Pro Bowls, making many headlines with his blunt talk on a weekly radio show, and winning a Super Bowl. It turned out to be a nice career. Although his stint in Arizona feels like a lifetime ago.
