David Diehl Retires After 11 Years

[Giantmetfan07]

 

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – David Diehl considered retiring after the 2012 season. A knee injury pained him throughout the year, he had put in 10 good seasons and no one was going to take away his two Super Bowl rings.
 
But three of the great loves of Diehl’s life – the game of football, the Giants and, most of all, Addison, his now seven-year-old daughter – prompted him to play in 2013.

“She wants me to play forever,” Diehl said.

That dream expired today when Diehl announced his retirement, ending a distinguished 11-year career spent entirely with the Giants. The decision was clinched when he agreed to Addison’s plan to accompany him to the Quest Diagnostics Training Center to tell team president John Mara that she had “allowed” her dad to retire.

“It’s not very easy for my daughter to talk about me retiring and not playing football,” Diehl said. “The Giants are just as much family to her as they are to me. She’s been going to the games and at seven years old, she understands everything. She understands the game and the players and how important it is to play in the NFL. For her, my stepping away from something she loves as much as I do is not an easy thing.”

It’s also difficult for Diehl. Few players worked harder, played with more enthusiasm or were more popular among teammates. He is arguably the most accomplished fifth-round draft choice in Giants history. The 160th overall selection of the 2003 NFL Draft, Diehl missed only 12 games in 11 years. He started at four different offensive line positions, helped the Giants win Super Bowls XLII and XLVI, was selected to the 2009 Pro Bowl and personified the term “team player.”

“I love football,” Diehl said. “I love being in the game, I love watching film, I love doing all of that and I’m going to miss that aspect of it. But I know I’m ready to start the new and next chapter of my life. I’m ready to not only be a bigger part of my daughter’s life, but I’m ready to spread my knowledge and help other people with the game and continue to do stuff throughout our community and charity work and be involved with the New York Giants in any way possible.

“I’ve accomplished everything I could possibly dream of as a football player. If in 2003, anyone would have said that Dave Diehl, a fifth-round draft pick out of Illinois, would win two Super Bowls, play in the Pro Bowl and win every single Giant award possible, people would have said you’re crazy. I have a lot to be proud of.”
 

 
Going to miss the guy. He sucked the last two years but you expect that out of linemen when they've played so long. Huge part of both SB runs for our line.

 

[Fuhgeddaboudit]

Hell of a player, and I'll miss him. We really need to revamp that o-line though lol

 

[ambivalentSoul]

Helluva Giant. He gave everything to this team and was a big part of both Superbowl runs. Good to see him hang it up when he knows there wasn't much else he could give on the football field.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Hell of a player, and I'll miss him. We really need to revamp that o-line though lol

 
Yea, unfortunately it takes a few years to rebuild an O-Line. All starts at the C, most top lines have a good Center. 
 
Idk whose there in the draft but if our pick comes and there's a good Guard or Center available, we'd be crazy not to take 'em. All this talk of drafting a WR when we have Cruz & Randle.