Grasmanis Hangs 'Em Up

[Rome]

http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/homeNewsDetail.jsp?id=49205

Grasmanis Announces Retirement


May 23, 2006
By CHRIS McPHERSON

One of head coach Andy Reid's "favorite guys" called it a career on Tuesday.

Defensive tackle Paul Grasmanis retired after 10 NFL seasons, six of which were with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Grasmanis played in the NFL for 10 years before he announced his retirement Tuesday
"He was a tough player who gave everything he could possibly give to a football team," said Reid. "He played a lot of valuable snaps for the Eagles and helped us win a lot of football games. We appreciate everything he did, and wish he and his family all the best in the future."

Grasmanis served as an important member of the Eagles defensive tackle rotation since 2000, posting 126 tackles and 10.5 sacks in 54 games in Philadelphia.

His best seasons were as an Eagle. In 2000, he had a career-high 48 tackles and in 2002 he had a career-high four sacks. He had been hampered by Achilles injuries which have only allowed him to play six games over the past two seasons.

Prior to joining the Eagles, he spent three seasons in Chicago after being selected by the Bears in the fourth round of the 1996 draft. After being released by the Bears prior to the start of the 1999 season, he spent one week with St. Louis before finishing the year with Denver.

Grasmanis played 104 games during his 10-year career and posted 197 tackles, 12 sacks and three forced fumbles. A native of Jenison, Mich., he was a two-year starter at Notre Dame. He currently resides in Tallahassee, Fla.

[MDS]

This barely qualifies as news

[Rome]

And you barely qualify as heterosexual.

[Diomedes]

To be fair, he had his moments.  Can't remember any right now, but nothing wrong with his contribution to the Eagles.  I wish him luck.

[QB Eagles]

See ya, Violent Gras. The last vestiges of the old D-line are being cast off. Kalu, Simon, Whiting, Douglas, Thomas... all gone within the space of a couple years.

[MDS]

And you barely qualify as heterosexual.

wow, thanks. 

[Displaced]

To be fair, he had his moments.  Can't remember any right now, but nothing wrong with his contribution to the Eagles.  I wish him luck.

I can remember one.

I will never forget the time he OWNED Luke Pettigout (sp?) got into the backfield and got a nice tackle for loss with the Eagles backs to the goal line

[PhillyPhreak54]

Solid but not spectacular player in the early days of the Reid era.

Not at all shocking to see him retire. He should've hung 'em up after the achilles tear in 2003.

[Susquehanna Birder]

He was a real lunchpail, role playing kind of guy. He did what was asked of him, and I don't think I ever heard of him complaining about anything. Classic Reid player.

[phillywin2k5]

i hear Chickie & Petes has offered him a job and thats why he decided to retire

[SunMo]

here's a tip, if you think something you are about to post is funny....it's not.

[phattymatty]

how will we ever replace his 1.05 sacks a year

[ice grillin you]

how will we ever replace his 1.05 sacks a year

lujuan ramsey

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

He was a real lunchpail, role playing kind of guy.

Yes he was... before the last 3 seasons, when he was a joke and a roster liability.

[Susquehanna Birder]

Yes he was... before the last 3 seasons, when he was a joke and a roster liability.

It's hard to be a roster liability when you're on IR most of the time. Regardless, I know what you mean.