10 NFL Stars Who May Retire After 2012 Season

They have been fixtures in the NFL for years. Some have been key cogs in their team's march to the playoffs.

Some have been waiting for that one shining moment. Whatever the case, they have proven to millions that they're great at what they do.

But now Father Time is creeping up on them.

Some of these players, if not all of them, may be playing in their final season in the NFL. For players like Terrell Owens and Shaun Rogers, who are free agents, the decision might be easier.

For players like Ronde Barber, who still have something left in the tank, the choice may be harder.

The following players, however, will have a tough decision to make sooner rather than later.

Randy Moss

I say this because we are not sure if the "real" Randy Moss will show up in the Bay Area.

If he is half as good as he used to be, the 49ers offense will be better for it and a passing attack featuring Moss, Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis (not to mention Mario Manningham) will be dynamite.

However if the 2010 edition of Randy Moss shows up, he will surely retire.

Terrell Owens

He may already be retired, but it has not been made official.

Terrell Owens is one of the best receivers in NFL history. Take away the drama and the selfishness and you're left with a player who came to perform each week he put on a football uniform.

But teams have gotten tired of his act in the face of his decreasing physical skills. If he would just shut the heck up and play, he could still benefit plenty of teams.

Owens at 50 percent on say the Jaguars or Browns would be better than anyone they already have.

Brad Meester

He has been the anchor of the Jaguars' offensive line for the past 11 seasons.

Meester may be one of the more underrated centers in the NFL. His durability has helped younger players like Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton get accustomed to the NFL.

But as time wears on, and with Meester in the final year of his current contract, will he stay in the team's plans? The Jaguars drafted Lehigh guard Will Rackley last year, who could possibly play center in the future.

Vonnie Holliday

He's still in the league?

Holliday was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 19th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at North Carolina.

Holliday has also played for the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins, and Arizona Cardinals.

It seems like whenever someone needs a pass rusher or a situational linemen, they call on Holliday. He is currently a free agent but could find his way onto an NFL roster after the April draft.

Ronde Barber

I thought he might call it quits since he was a free agent this year.

But Barber is a gem who can still play in the league despite having lost a step, and he's still valuable to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Drafted by the Buccaneers in the third round of the 1997 draft, Barber played college football at Virginia. He is the only player in NFL history with at least 25 sacks and 40 interceptions.

At some point, the Buccaneers will lose a key component of their Super Bowl XXXVIII championship team.

Brian Dawkins

I remember watching him play high school ball here in Jacksonville. Dawkins was a star then and has remained a star to this day.

He is is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft out of Clemson and played for Philadelphia until his release in 2009. Dawkins then signed with the Denver Broncos, where he played until his contract expired this season.

While he is currently without a team, a team in need of depth could use his coverage ability. I expect him to retire next year if he gets a deal for 2012.

LaDanian Tomlinson

One of the NFL's greatest runners of all time does not have a team to call his right now and if he finds one, it may be for only one season.

Tomlinson was drafted by the San Diego Chargers fifth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft and played for them for nine seasons before moving to the Jets as a free agent.

The Jets did not re-sign him after the 2011 season.

Shaun Rogers

Rogers is currently a free agent.

He was originally drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 2nd round (61st overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft and has also played for the Saints and Browns.

While no team has signed him yet, Rogers is a wide body at 6'4" and 350 pounds. He could be called upon after the draft by a team who still needs help plugging the middle and stuffing the run.

London Fletcher

Undrafted in 1998, Fletcher was signed by the St. Louis Rams as a rookie free agent out of John Carroll. From there he made his mark as a hard-hitting linebacker.

He is also well known for never missing a game in his career.

Fletcher is currently a starter for the Washington Redskins and while he still a leader of the defense, Father Time could soon catch up with the 13 year veteran.

Takeo Spikes

Spikes has never been to the playoffs. He has the dubious distinction of playing the most regular season games without a playoff appearance, which reached 200.

A first round draft choice of the Cincinnati Bengals, Spikes is now with the San Diego Chargers.

In his NFL career, Spikes has made stops also in Buffalo, Philadelphia and San Francisco before going to the Chargers.