Quarterback Daunte Culpepper (31-years old) has announced his retirement from the National Football League after just 9 seasons.

“After taking a long look at my career and my personal convictions, I have decided to begin early retirement from the NFL effective immediately,” Culpepper said in an e-mail sent to many members of the media.

“Since the beginning of training camp, I was told my opportunity would come when a quarterback gets hurt. I cannot remember the last time so many quarterbacks have been injured during the preseason,” Culpepper said. “I have been strongly encouraged from family, friends and league personnel to continue to be patient and wait for an inevitable injury to one of the starting quarterbacks in the league. I would rather shut the door to such ‘opportunity’ than continue to wait for one of my fellow quarterbacks to suffer a serious injury. Since I was not given a fair chance to come in and compete for a job, I would rather move on and win in other arenas of life.”

Culpepper tried really hard to sound sincere but I’m pretty sure if a playoff contender called him up and asked him to lead their team, he’d come back in a heart beat. I have a feeling his retirement will be shorter than Brett Favre’s.