Cards' Faneca calls it quits

Cardinals guard Alan Faneca retired Tuesday, ending a 13-year career that will likely lead to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Faneca released a statement Tuesday through his agent, Rick Smith. "Playing in the NFL has been a childhood dream come true, he said. Thirteen years later I have decided that it is time to move on. Faneca, who played his first 10 seasons with the Steelers and two with the Jets, was selected to nine consecutive Pro Bowls a string that ended last season. Faneca took criticism last season for not making a bigger impact on the Cardinals' line, but he still blocked well in space and was better than expected in pass protection. The Cardinals woeful quarterback play put enormous pressure on the line and run game to produce in the face of defenses geared to stop that element. Fanecas loss increases the urgency for the Cards to make a significant investment in their offensive line through free agency. Arizonas other starting guard, Deuce Lutui, has an expired contract and five years of NFL service. Depending on how the new free-agency rules pan out, he could become an unrestricted free agent. Lutui admitted Monday that his contract holdout before 2010 training camp still bothers him. Im still tagged with a tender (offer), he said. Other teams have done the right thing for their players. Its definitely still an issue. Lutui would love to become an unrestricted free agent. If he does, and he gets a better offer from another team, the Cards would have to replace two starters, with only Rex Hadnot and possibly Jeremy Bridges and Tom Pestock able to fill that role from players currently on the roster. The Cards had hoped to talk Faneca into one more season, but with the recent birth of his second child, he had other thoughts. From the dog days of training camp to winning a Super Bowl the memories are endless, he said in the statement. The greatest memory that I will leave the game with is all of the lifelong friendships I have made. I want to specifically thank the Steelers, Jets, and Cardinals. Each and every teammate, coach and front office employee has made a lasting impact on my life. It was a pleasure playing for first class organizations who surrounded me with incredibly dedicated individuals. I want to thank each of the beat writers that covered me throughout my career. These guys work hard and always treated me with respect. I want to also thank the fans. The roar of the crowd kept me going more than the fans will ever know. It is time to move on to the next chapter in my life. I can't wait to spend more time with my family. Playing in this league for as long as I did takes sacrifice, not only by me, but by each of them. I want to thank Julie, Annabelle and Burton for allowing me to fulfill all of my boyhood dreams. I couldn't have done it without you."