Denver left tackle Lepsis retires after 11-year career

Published 9:40 pm Tuesday, January 1, 2008

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos have more work to do in rebuilding their once-touted offensive line after left tackle Matt Lepsis told coach Mike Shanahan he’s retiring.

Lepsis, who turns 34 this month, acknowledged his play slipped in his 11th season after returning from ACL surgery on his right knee. The operation ended his 2006 season shortly after he signed a four-year, $25 million contract extension.

“Mike would call me out for not playing very well, and I had to agree with him,” Lepsis said. “… I didn’t want to go make all that money and not give the team what I was supposed to.”

Lepsis’ decision leaves more than $9 million on the table.

The Broncos signed Lepsis as an undrafted free agent in 1997 out of the University of Colorado, where he was a tight end. He became a starter in 1999 and developed into one of the best left tackles in the NFL before tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament in the seventh game.