Kenechi Udeze: Saying Goodbye Is Never Easy.

The Minnesota Vikings have announced the retirement of defensive end Kenechi Udeze, ending his bid for a comeback this year with the club.

In February of 2008, Udeze was diagnosed with leukemia. And despite receiving a bone marrow transplant and being able, initially, to participate in OTAs, Udeze’s decision was mainly due to side effects associated with the treatment which hindered his progress.

The first-round draft pick by the Vikings was enjoying what was building up to be a rather impressive campaign with the club. Udeze recorded 117 tackles and 11 sacks in 47 starts as a Viking.

His current bout with leukemia, which is in remission, was not the first time in his career he has faced adversity—nor was it ever a reason to quit.

Udeze battled weight problems before entering USC’s program coming out of high school—a challenge he overcame.

In 2003, Udeze returned to action for the Trojans after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his knee only to be a part of the 2004 Rose Bowl team.

Udeze will never be known as a quitter—that much is for certain.

While playing for USC in 2001, the redshirt freshman garnered 35 tackles (nine for loss) and four sacks in only 10 games started. Udeze earned a spot on The Sporting News Freshman All-American Second Team and The Sporting News All-Pac 10 First Team, as well as USC’s Co-Lifter Award.

Udeze enjoyed a very successful 2002 campaign as well.

He was named Defensive Lineman of the Year, was an All-Pac 10 Second Team selection, and shared the Pac-10 lead with six forced fumbles, which was a USC record.

In total, Udeze boasted 135 tackles (51 for a loss) and 28 sacks—a school record as well—in addition to 14 forced fumbles as a Trojan.

As with any severe illness, people and players often find themselves having to make difficult decisions that are often never truly understood by others.

In Udeze’s case, his penchant for never quitting anything only amplifies the obvious disheartening nature this had to yield.

In football, the opportunity to come out of retirement is always a reality, and there is never a true way of knowing what the future holds for Udeze going forward—a notion that holds a bit of optimism in the football realm for himself, for his fans, and the Minnesota Vikings.

The most positive aspect of all of this is that Udeze feels healthy, his leukemia is in remission, and the road to recovery, albeit daunting, is ready for the taking.

And you can surely bet Udeze, and the spirit that has become synonymous with him and his endeavors, will be ready for the challenge with his best foot forward at all times.

Here’s to a speedy recovery and a positive outcome to an otherwise unfortunate turn of events for Udeze and his family.