The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wilfork trades cleats for grill
Defensive tackle says he’s retired via BBQ commercial.
Former New England and Houston defensive tackle Vince Wilfork announced his retirement in a commercial for a charcoal company Monday, a fitting farewell for a big guy who loved to eat.
Wilfork, 35, tweeted a video showing him untaping his ankles, hanging up his cleats and grabbing grilling tongs. The video then showed him dancing, cooking ribs and smoking a cigar while wearing his trademark overalls and a cap bearing the word “RIBS.”
“No more cleats,” he said. “I’m moving on to smoke meats, fellas. Peace out. I’m outta here. Later.”
The video ended by noting that “Vince’s Farewell Tailgate” will take place Sept. 7 at Gillette Stadium. The defending Super Bowl champion Patriots open the season that night against Kansas City.
The Patriots drafted Wilfork in 2004 out of Miami, and he anchored their defensive line for 11 seasons. He was named to five Pro Bowls and helped the Patriots win two Super Bowls. He played the past two seasons in Houston. He said he was contemplating retirement after the Texans declined to offer him a new contract this summer.
The Texans recognized Wilfork’s retirement on Twitter, saying, “Thanks for the memories @wilfork75. We’ll always have this.”
The caption came with a photo of Wilfork wearing overalls and talking to coach Bill O’Brien.
Bears: Guard Eric Kush will miss the season because of a torn hamstring. He is scheduled for surgery today. Kush made a career-high four starts last season.
Bills: Receiver Anquan Boldin, 36, returns for a 15th NFL season after signing with the Bills. Boldin made 67 catches for 584 yards and eight touchdowns in 16 games with Detroit last season. The Bills immediately listed him as the top backup to Sammy Watkins at a position where they are thin.
Dolphins: Newly signed quarterback Jay Cutler won’t play in Thursday’s exhibition opener against Atlanta, but coach Adam Gase said “he didn’t come out of retirement to stand on the sideline.”
Cutler received a $10 million, one-year contract to replace Ryan Tannehill, who likely is out for the season with an injured left knee. Cutler, 34, decided to delay the start of his career as an NFL analyst for Fox and be reunited with Gase, his former offensive coordinator in Chicago, where Cutler played the past eight seasons.
Cutler likely will leapfrog longtime Dolphins backup Matt Moore for the starting job. “We felt this gave us an opportunity to have two really good quarterbacks on our team,” Gase said.
Jets: Quincy Enunwa, projected as the Jets’ top receiver, will miss the season because of a bulging disk in his neck that likely will require surgery.
Enunwa has 80 career catches for 1,172 yards and four touchdowns over two seasons. After Enunwa, the Jets’ most experienced receiver is Marquess Wilson, who had 56 catches for 777 yards and three touchdowns in four seasons in Chicago.