Danieal Manning Retires: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

Nine-year NFL defensive back Danieal Manning, who spent the last four seasons with the Houston Texans, has announced his retirement.   

According to the Texans' official Twitter account (h/t Marc Vandermeer), Manning announced his decision Tuesday during an appearance on Sports Radio 610 in Houston. 

Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston provided comments from Manning:

"

I heard myself say it out loud & u know what I'm going 2 retire.It rolled off my tongue like it was the normal thing to do"

[...]

"2 or 3 weeks after the season I couldn't really sleep. I was getting up in the middle of the night thinking about retirement"

"Just to say that I was a Texan. The best 4 years of my life playing professional ball was with the Houston Texans

"

When asked what lies ahead for the 32-year-old, Manning said, "Focus on being a better dad, a better husband, an all-around better person," via Berman.

Manning came into the NFL as a member of the Chicago Bears after being taken with the 42nd overall pick in 2006. He started 14 games as a rookie and helped lead the team to its first Super Bowl appearance since 1985. 

In 2008, Manning was a first-team All-Pro thanks to his efforts on special teams. He led the NFL in kickoff return average with 29.7 yards on 36 attempts, per Pro-Football-Reference.com.

The Texans signed Manning to a four-year deal in 2011. He started 29 games in his first two seasons with the team, but he missed 10 games in 2013 and was released the following March. That would start a whirlwind journey for him in 2014. 

Manning signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in time for the preseason, but he was released during the final cutdowns and returned to the Texans, where he appeared in all 16 games last season. 

Even though he wasn't an impact player in pass coverage anymore, Pro Football Focus did list him among its All-Pro kick coverage unit. There was little buzz around the versatile veteran this offseason, likely making his decision to walk away now easier. 

Despite the late-career struggles to catch on, Manning was a valuable asset on defense and special teams at his peak. He carved out a solid career and can go into the sunset having accomplished a lot in his time on the football field.