Houston Texans running back Derrick Ward was never quite a household name, but he did put together a solid NFL career that included a Super Bowl XLII victory as a member of the New York Giants. Now he's calling it quits.
On Tuesday, Ward took to his Twitter account to announce his retirement from professional football.
To all my fans just wanted to let u know its been a great ride the last 9yrs but I'm calling it a career. I thank u all for believing in me!
— Derrick Ward (@DerrickWard32) July 3, 2012
Ward finishes his career with 2,628 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry in his nine years with the Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Texans. Ward was drafted in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL draft, but was released and picked up by the New York Jets as a member of the practice squad. The Giants signed him away from the Jets in October 2004 and he made his debut that year.
For all news and information regarding the Houston Texans, please visit Battle Red Blog or check out SB Nation Houston. For complete coverage of the world of professional football, head on over to SB Nation's dedicated NFL hub.