The NFL lost a veteran snapper today, as Mike Leach of the Cardinals retired after 16 NFL seasons.  In his retirement statement, which was re-tweeted this morning on the Longsnap.com Twitter feed (@longsnapcom), Leach noted that an NFL player usually does not get to choose when they leave the game.  In his case, Leach wanted to make the decision himself, before his talent diminished or an injury forced the move.

Leach joined the NFL in 2000 after serving as a punter and tight end in college at William & Mary.  In addition to snapping for the Titans, he was also the snapper for the Broncos in 2002 before joining the Cardinals in 2009, where he appeared in 216 straight games.  In total, Leach appeared in 235 NFL games.