Wichitan Kamerion Wimbley announces retirement after nine NFL seasons

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Wichita native Kamerion Wimbley wants to spend more time with his family and has decided to retire from the NFL after nine seasons, the last three with the Tennessee Titans at linebacker.

“While I still feel like I could be competitive on the field, at this point in my life, my family is my priority,” Wimbley wrote Thursday in a post on Twitter. “Although my wife and two young daughters have always been incredibly supportive of my career, I am looking forward to spending more meaningful time with them and never missing another big moment in their lives!”

The 6-foot-4, 258-pound Wimbley was a first-round draft pick by Cleveland in 2006 at No. 13 overall and played four seasons with the Browns before being traded to Oakland in 2010.

The Titans signed Wimbley in March 2012 to a five-year contract after the Raiders released him. Wimbley was due $1.85 million in base salary this season and $2.35 million in 2016.

Wimbley has 53 1/2 sacks in his career, but 11 the past three seasons in Tennessee. He started 123 of his 140 games with 533 tackles and 32 tackles for loss with two interceptions, nine forced fumbles and three recovered fumbles.

He started 12 games at outside linebacker last season, but also was inactive for three games. The Titans signed Brian Orakpo in free agency and drafted Deiontrez Mount of Louisville in the sixth round.

Titans general manager Ruston Webster congratulated Wimbley as a true pro.

“Not everyone gets to walk away from the game on their own terms and he is doing that today and for that he has my respect,” Webster said in a statement. “I know he has a number of business ventures already, and we wish him and his family the best in what lies ahead.”

Wimbley is co-partner of two Wings and Things restaurants in Wichita and owns two Wichita barbershops. In 2013, his andouille sausage and shrimp over grits recipe won a three-player cookoff on “Rachael Ray.”

He was an All-City League football player at Northwest High, graduating in 2002. He was a defensive player at multiple positions and was also a quarterback, receiver and punter for the Grizzlies.

Wimbley signed with Florida State and became one of the Seminoles’ top defensive players, though an injury took away about half of his final season.

This story was originally published May 7, 2015 at 11:42 AM with the headline "Wichitan Kamerion Wimbley announces retirement after nine NFL seasons."