Emotional Kris Dielman Announces Retirement From Chargers
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Four-time Pro Bowl guard Kris Dielman has retired from the San Diego Chargers, saying it's the right thing to do so after he sustained a concussion last season that led the NFL to tell game officials to watch closely for symptoms during games.
With his wife and two young sons sitting off to the side, the salty, blue-collar Dielman got emotional at a news conference as he recalled lasting nine years in the NFL when nobody thought he'd make it through his first training camp. Quarterback Philip Rivers also choked up as he talked about Dielman.
The 320-pound Dielman was staggered by the injury early in the fourth quarter against the New York Jets on Oct. 23.
He continued to play because the Chargers were out of offensive linemen due to other injuries. The team didn't diagnose his condition until after the game. Dielman suffered a grand mal seizure on the flight home and was hospitalized overnight.
The Chargers also released a statement on Kris Dielman.
