Jeff Saturday is one of the most accomplished centers in NFL history and after playing with the Green Bay Packers, he will return to the Indianapolis Colts to retire with the team he played the bulk of his career with.
According to ESPN.com, Saturday will return the Colts and officially retire with the team at a press conference on Thursday. The center previously announced his retirement before playing in the Pro Bowl in Hawaii and he spent last season with the Packers after play 13 seasons with the Colts, most of that with Peyton Manning.
"The years I spent with the Colts were truly remarkable and I am honored to be able to retire as a member of one of the classiest organizations in the NFL," Saturday said in a statement on Tuesday. "I also want to thank Green Bay for the opportunity to compete as a member of the Packers last season. During my time in Indianapolis, I made tremendous relationships with numerous teammates, coaches and staff within the organization."
Saturday began his career as a rookie free agent signing by the Baltimore Ravens and eventually formed a great relationship with Peyton Manning, winning the Super Bowl in 2007. He signed a two-year deal with the Packers and played in 14 games last season.
The center played with the Colts from 1999 to 2011 and played in 197 regular season games while playing in five Pro Bowls.
Saturday said on Monday that retiring a Colt was something he wanted to do and meant a lot to his career.
"We watched that city evolve from a basketball and racing town to truly a football town," Saturday said of his tenure with the Indianapolis. And in explaining how that conference-swapping snap came to be at the Pro Bowl, Saturday said simply, "[Peyton's] got a lot more pull than I do."
Last season Saturday fought through injuries and played in 14 games, while the Packers finished 11-5. The team lost in the first round of the playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers 45-31, giving up a record amount of rushing yards to Colin Kaepernick. Saturday helped the Packers to have the ninth ranked passing offense and the 20th ranked rushing offense, gaining over 100 yards per game.
