A top NFL player is calling it a career. Delanie Walker, a tight end who played for the San Francisco 49ers, and the Tennesee Titans, announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday. He last played in the NFL in 2019 as he was released from the Titans in March 2020.
“I would say it worked out better than I could have imagined,” Walker said on Monday night, per the Titans’ official website. “I dreamt about it, and made it come to life because I believed it would. I knew once I had the opportunity, I wasn’t going to let it get away from me. Playing in Tennessee, with the Titans, it was better than I ever dreamed of, and I can’t thank the Titans organization enough for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to do everything I was able to do. It was a dream come true, to be honest with you.”
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Walker, 38, was selected in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the 49ers. He was there for seven seasons before signing a contract with the Titans in 2013. Walker had his best seasons in Tennessee as he was named to the Pro Bowl from 2015-2017. His most memorable season was in 2015 when he caught 94 passes for 1,088 yards and six touchdowns. From 2014-2017, Walker caught at least 60 passes for 800 yards and three touchdowns.
“I know no one knew who I was when I came here, and they probably thought: Why did we get this guy?” Walker said in his press conference on Tuesday. “But the guys that were here, the coaches, the staff, they believed in me and said: It’s all up to you. You have a chance to be great and take it and run with it. I looked at that as an opportunity. I knew what I could do in this league, and I just needed the opportunity to have that chance to show it, and the Titans gave me that opportunity. And that’s why I am here to retire (a Titan), because I feel like my best years in football started here, here in Tennessee. … I am so thankful to have this opportunity to retire as a Titan.”
Walker finished his career with 504 receptions, 5,888 yards and 36 touchdowns. He holds the Titans record for most receiving touchdowns by a tight end, (28), most receptions in a season by a tight end (94) and the most receiving yards in a season by a tight end (1,088).
