LaDainian Tomlinson and 10 NFL Veterans Who Should Consider Retirement

LaDainian Tomlinson leads a group of former All-Pro NFL players that should consider retirement once the curtain draws closed on the 2011-12 season.

As is the case with every NFL season, a number of players we've grown to know and love throughout the years are finally ready to hang 'em up and call it quits.

With an average career length significantly lower than all other major sports, NFL players are forced to consider the wear and tear on their bodies much sooner than other professional athletes due to the violent nature of the game.

Let's take a look at 10 NFL veterans that should be considering retirement in 2012.

10. Thomas Jones: Running Back, Kansas City Chiefs (179 Career Games)

With 12 years as a running back and one Pro Bowl under his belt, Thomas Jones has accumulated 10,549 yards rushing (4.0 yards per carry), 2,023 yards receiving and 71 touchdowns during his NFL career.

Now 33 years old, Jones has just 138 carries for 436 yards this season, resulting in a career-low average of 3.2 yards per carry.

With 2,663 carries to his name, it's time for Mr. Jones to call it a career.

9. Matt Hasselbeck: Quarterback, Tennessee Titans (185 Career Games)

At 35 years of age, three-time Pro Bowler Matt Hasselbeck's 13-year career may be coming to a close with rookie quarterback Jake Locker ready to take over in Tennessee.  

Hasselbeck sports a nifty QB rating of 82.1 to go along with a 77-69 career regular-season record and a 5-6 career playoff record.

After 32,853 yards passing and 192 touchdowns, it may be time for Hasselbeck to join his brother Tim in the studio.  

8. Joey Porter: Linebacker, Arizona Cardinals (188 Career Games)

A four-time Pro Bowler, 34-year-old Joey Porter is spending the end of his 13th season on injured reserve.

In 188 career games, Porter has racked up 503 tackles, 98 sacks, 12 interceptions, 10 fumble recoveries and three touchdowns.

Porter has started just five games in 2011 while managing only 11 tackles and one sack on the season.

7. Donald Driver: Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers (191 Career Games)

At 35 years of age, three-time Pro Bowler Donald Driver has spent all 13 seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers.

Driver has 733 receptions for 10,008 yards and 59 touchdowns while catching passes from Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.

After topping 1,000 yards receiving for six straight seasons, Driver managed just 565 yards in 2010 and 393 yards though 15 games this season.

If the Packers win a second consecutive Super Bowl in 2012, expect Driver to go out on top.

6. Kerry Collins: Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts (197 Career Games)

At 39 years old, Kerry Collins is a two-time Pro Bowler with one Super Bowl start to his name—losing to Trent Dilfer and the Ravens in 2001.

Collins has accumulated 40,922 yards passing to go along with 208 touchdowns versus 196 interceptions during his 17 year career.

Collins struggled mightily in three games with the Indianapolis Colts this season and should call it quits before he turns 40.

5. Hines Ward: Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers (216 Career Games)

Hines Ward is a four-time Pro Bowl receiver who has spent all 14 seasons of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

At 35 years of age, Ward is experiencing career lows across the board as a starting wideout .

Ward has racked up 995 receptions for 12,059 yards and 86 touchdowns thus far and needs just five catches this weekend to reach 1,000 for his career.

Ward has made it clear that he has no intentions of retiring after this season, but considering the recent drop off in production, he might want to re-think his plans for the future.

4. Brian Dawkins: Safety, Denver Broncos (224 Career Games)

At 38 years old, Brian Dawkins is an eight-time Pro Bowler who has played 16 seasons in the NFL.

Known as one of the all-time great safeties in NFL history, Dawkins has accumulated 911 tackles, 37 interceptions, 26 sacks, 36 forced fumbles, 19 fumble recoveries and four touchdowns.

He's been named First Team All-Pro four times and has likely played his final NFL game as a result of a neck injury that should lead to his retirement at season's end.

3. Derrick Mason: Wide Receiver, Houston Texans (225 Career Games)

During Derrick Mason's 15-year career, he's been named to the Pro Bowl twice and First Team All-Pro once.

The 37-year-old Mason has 943 career receptions for 12,061 yards and 66 touchdowns.

Mason has managed just 19 receptions for 170 yards in seven games this season and should be ready to hang 'em up at the end of the year.

2. Jason Taylor: Defensive End, Miami Dophins (232 Career Games)

Jason Taylor has been a six-time Pro Bowler and three-time First Team All-Pro during his 15 NFL seasons.

The 37-year-old Taylor has already announced his retirement and will go down as one of the best defensive ends in NFL history with 139.5 career sacks to his name.

Taylor also accumulated 529 tackles, 46 forced fumbles, 29 fumble recoveries, eight interceptions and nine touchdowns.

Although Taylor has only started one game this season with the Miami Dolphins, he's still managed to rack up seven sacks.  

1. LaDainian Tomlinson: Running Back, New York Jets (169 Career Games)

The 32-year-old LaDainian Tomlinson has played 12 seasons in the NFL and will go down as one of the greatest running backs of all time.

Tomlinson ranks sixth all-time with 13,628 career rushing yards (34 yards behind fifth-place Jerome Bettis), second all-time with 145 rushing touchdowns (19 behind first-place Emmitt Smith) and fifth all-time in rushing attempts.

He's also racked up 620 career receptions for 4,749 yards and 17 touchdowns.  One of the best receivers out of the backfield ever to play the game, Tomlinson caught 100 passes in 2003 while leading the NFL in total yards from scrimmage with 2,370.

He ranks fifth all-time in career total yards from scrimmage with 18,377—trailing only Marshall Faulk, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice.

"L.T." has been a shell of his former self this season, totaling just 224 yards rushing on 64 carries (3.5 yards per carry).  He has managed 38 receptions for 426 yards and two touchdowns while remaining a receiving threat out of the backfield.  

Unless he is attempting to catch Marshall Faulk for fourth place in total career yards from scrimmage (he trails by 777 yards), LT would be wise to call it quits after his illustrious Hall of Fame career.