After nine NFL seasons, Danieal Manning has called it quits.
The veteran safety and kick returner announced his retirement during a Tuesday afternoon appearance on Texans Radio.
"I decided I'm going to hang the cleats up," Manning said. "I'm officially retiring."
Manning entered the NFL as a second round pick in 2006, spending his first five years as a Chicago Bear. He signed a free agent deal with the Texans in 2011, and along with free agent cornerback Johnathan Joseph, instantly stabilized what had become a shaky secondary.
As a Texan, Manning started 40 of the 51 games he played. He picked off four passes with Houston, returning one for a touchdown in 2012. He also returned kickoffs from time-to-time, and in four playoff games with the Texans he averaged 39.6 yards per return in the postseason.
Manning started five games in 2014, and appeared in every contest. While he was likely still capable of contributing to an NFL squad, Manning said the decision to leave his playing days behind was an easy one.
"I didn't lose any sleep about it," Manning said. "I looked back and I enjoyed the moments I had. I thank God every day that I was able to live a fantasy and make it a reality."
The Corsicana native and former Abilene Christian University star said he plans on finishing his degree. He'll also be a Texans Ambassador this autumn, and eventually he'd like to be involved in coaching high school football.
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Safety/return man Danieal Manning retired on Tuesday. Take a look back at his time with the Texans from 2011-2014.
