Kerry Collins, Panthers’ first-ever draft pick, retires to sit on porch

Jake Locker just stepped one position closer to the starting QB spot for the Tennessee Titans today as veteran, and I mean veteran, QB Kerry Collins announced his retirement.

It’s not too surprising of news as the Titans head into the potentially locked out 2011 season with a new identity behind first-year Titans coach Mike Munchak. The many years, 16 in the NFL alone, have taken their toll on Collins and trying to mix it up with a new coach seemed a bit too much.

“The past several months have brought on much introspection,” Collins said in his statement. “And I have decided that while my desire to compete on Sundays is still and always will be there, my willingness to commit to the preparation necessary to play another season has waned to a level that I feel is no longer adequate to meet the demands of the position.”

For now the transition to being the old man on the porch yelling at the kids is almost complete. For a few years in Tennessee Collins looked a little shaggy and bore more of a resemblece to a hobo at a bus stop rather than a professional QB in the NFL. With his salary you would think a bit of “Just for Men” would not be out of his reach.

Get off me lawn!! Darn kids

Jokes aside, Collins leaves the league with a checkered past but with a staggering 40441 yards passed and 206 TDs. Once the lockout comes to an end the Titans will have an interesting QB situation to deal with.

To start his career, Collins was the first draft pick for the new Carolina Panthers franchise out of Penn State. His stay there was a bit rocky, to say the least. Over his handful of years in Charlotte, Collins faced drinking issues and locker room issues where he was called out for being racist. Then, in many Panther’s fans eyes, he just gave up on the team and stated he didn’t want to play anymore.

Collins found a brief home in New Orleans before jumping ship to New York where he led the Giants to a Super Bowl in 2000. He wound up in Tennessee some years later where he swapped in and out with the Titans stud QB Vince Young in some up and down years.

But as the Titans rebuild they will have to go on without Collins and face he future without a #1 QB. Vince Young is in the doghouse with his immature mindset and is slated to be traded or released when the lockout ends. The Titans still have the right to hold onto Young, another first rounder like Collins but without the results.

For now the Titans QB situation looks scary. And not a good scary. A real messy scary. Draft pick Jake Locker heads into the year as the biggest name on the roster after Rusty Smith and potentially Chris Simms. Neither of those two seem to have what it takes to replace Collins which makes Titans fans ponder whether the team will try to deal for a QB or ride the Jake Locker ticket.