Watch CBS News

Lance Briggs Plans To Retire

(CBS) Former Bears linebacker Lance Briggs announced Wednesday his plans to retire.

The news came during an interview with Briggs during the Cubs-Reds game on CSN Chicago, which he will join this season as a studio analyst for Bears pregame and postgame coverage.

Briggs hasn't filed his paperwork with the NFL yet but plans to do so sometime soon. He told the Tribune nothing is official yet, leaving open the idea he could return if a team pursues him.

Briggs, 34, spent his entire 12-year career with the Bears and was a seven-time Pro Bowler and was a stalwart on teams built upon defense. He finished with 936 career tackles and was named first-team All-Pro in 2005.

Though he'd previously expressed a desire to continue playing, Briggs' retirement wasn't a big surprise surprise, as he dealt with injuries each of the past two seasons and was clearly a step slower.

"I'm excited to continue my partnership with Comcast SportsNet," Briggs said, according to CSN Chicago. "I've had the good fortune of being a part of this network over the past few years. I credit Pat Boyle who immediately made me feel at home here and I always told him I wanted to be here after my career. It's just a great atmosphere and I love being surrounded by some really great people. This was the right decision for me."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.