Special Teams Ace Steve Gleason Retires
One of the longest currently tenured Saints retires at 31; first joined team in 2000

S Steve Gleason

posted March 11, 2008 - print me!
neworleansprofootball.com

One of the longest tenured Saints, former special teams captain Steve Gleason, has decided to retire from the NFL at age 31.

The Saints placed Gleason on injured reserve shortly before training camp, ending his season because Gleason was struggling to rehab offseason knee surgery.

The surgical operation, performed by Dr. James Andrews, was the risky and controversial microfracture surgery that perforated bone and cartiladge tissue to promote a natural response from the body to regenerate protective joint tissue.

Gleason hit free agency on February 29. Last year the Saints' special teams struggled, and special teams coach John Bonamego was replaced, when the Saints entered 2007 without their special teams captains Fred McAfee and Gleason, as well as kicker John Carney.

Joining the team in 2000 as an undrafted free agent linebacker out of Washington State, Gleason suffered a major knee injury. Gleason fought back and became a force on special teams, blocking a punt in four straight seasons from 2003-2006 and becoming a dynamic force on coverage units. McAfee has signed accepted a job with the Saints front office.

It was Gleason's block against the Falcons in 2006 that provided one of the most memorable moments in Saints football history, when the ball was returned for a touchdown to touch off a rout of the Falcons in the first post-Katrina football game in the Superdome.

The Times-Picayune reports that Gleason will marry a New Orleans native in May and make his permanent home in the city.

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