Jason Hanson has been one of the stalwarts of the Detroit Lions through the good times and the bad times and after 21 seasons with the franchise he is deciding to retire.

According to the Associated Press, Hanson at 42-years-old decided to hang up his cleats and announced his choice to retire on Thursday after a prolific career. The report says that Hanson played in 300 games, the first NFL player to do that with one franchise and he also set a record by playing 21 seasons with the team. He has put up some very good number over his career, including hitting a record 52 field goals from 50 yards or further.

"It's time," Hanson said. "I gave serious thought and consideration to playing in 2013. While the determination and willpower are still there, the wear and tear on my body, especially the issues I had and still have with my heel, have convinced me that it's time to retire."

According to the Associated Press, he is third on the all-time scoring list and he is the only player who has scored 2,000 points with one franchise. He has played for over 20 seasons, joining names like Jerry Rice, George Blanda, Morten Andersen, Gary Anderson and Vinny Testaverde as the only players to last 21 years in the NFL.

Hanson came to the Lions in 1992 and he made the playoffs in 2011 with the team after missing out for a decade.