Ike Taylor Retires: Latest Comments and Reaction on Former Steelers Star

After 12 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, cornerback Ike Taylor officially announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday.

Taylor, who will turn 35 on May 5, made the decision to go out on his own terms, as he told Teresa Varley of Steelers.com:

"

Other than having my son, playing for the Steelers has been the best experience in my entire lifetime. It is rare, in this day of free agency that is super rare to play for one team. For me to have this opportunity says a lot about how they felt about me, what I gave back to the organization.

I wasn't cut, I wasn't released. It was just my contract was up and it was time to retire. If you want to have pride, well that is the kind of pride I have, being able to play my contract out.

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Taylor's announcement comes on the heels of safety Troy Polamalu retiring, which means Pittsburgh's secondary will have a decidedly different look in 2015 and beyond, as pointed out by ESPN's Adam Schefter:

As a fourth-round pick out of Louisiana-Lafayette in the 2003 NFL draft, Taylor far exceeded expectations as a pro. He served as a starter for the Steelers from 2005 until his retirement and racked up 14 interceptions during that time.

He also won a pair of Super Bowls and became synonymous with Pittsburgh's dominant defense.

Although there is no question that Taylor's play dropped off in recent years as his age advanced, he was still a steady and experienced presence in the Steelers secondary.

There comes a time when every team is forced to move on from players who led it to glory in the past, and Taylor took the decision out of the Steelers' hands by walking away from the game of football.

Some players tend to hang on for too long past their prime, but Taylor refused to join that class. Retiring now cements his legacy, and it ensures that Steelers fans will remember him fondly as a player who contributed to championship success.

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