<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Hopkins set to retire after 13 seasonsBy Len PasquarelliESPN.comBarring a change of heart, or an 11th-hour job offer, Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Brad Hopkins is set to retire this week after 13 seasons with the same franchise.Hopkins, 35, was released by the Titans in March for salary cap considerations. As a free agent, he visited with a number of teams this spring, but was not offered a contract. His initial feeling was that he could play two or three more seasons, but as the offseason progressed, Hopkins became somewhat reluctant to leave Nashville, where he and his family make their permanent home.During his career, the former University of Illinois standout was regarded as one of the best leftside pass protectors in the league and his efforts earned him a pair of Pro Bowl berths, in 2002 and 2003.The pending retirement of Hopkins and last week's trade of quarterback Steve McNair to the Baltimore Ravens will leave the Titans with no players remaining from the franchise's days as the Houston Oilers.A first-round choice in the 1993 draft, Hopkins became a starter as a rookie, and emerged as a fixture on the team's offensive line. He appeared in 194 games, started in 188 of them, and missed only 14 contests in 13 seasons. Hopkins never played in fewer than 11 games in a season, missing a career-high five games in 2004 because of a broken right hand.He rebounded from that injury to start 15 games last season. Hopkins started in all 16 games in five of his 13 seasons in the league.Second-year veteran Michael Roos, a second-round draft choice in 2005 who started in 16 games as a rookie, will move from right tackle to left tackle to replace Hopkins this season. He started the opening game of the 2005 season at left tackle, while Hopkins served a one-game suspension.Hopkins, who has done some radio and television work in Nashville this offseason, is expected to pursue a career in the electronic media.Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.</div>http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2482780
Old news to Titans fans, he's pretty much had his heart set on retirement for a while.There's apparently a waging war among the local news stations to get him. He's very well spoken, loves Nashville, and is big in the community.
