Rob Ninkovich announces his retirement

[oldrover]

My favorite "do your job" Patriot...

And the cool thing about him...

...he could do so many jobs.

 

[PittPatriot]

Well, my favorite #54 and #50 didn't go 19-0.
I was really hoping I could see those numbers finish the task this season. Alas, Rob will be missed. What a great, likable, respectable Patriot. Best wishes, #50!

 

[BlueThunder]

Wonder who the next player is that gets assigned #50? There must be some magic in that number !

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

Wonder who the next player is that gets assigned #50? There must be some magic in that number !

The last two were cast offs from other teams....

 

[PatsGuy]

The last two were cast offs from other teams....

Good pick up

 

[long distance]

 

[PP2]

I hope he sticks around in a coaching capacity. He has the IQ for it.

 

[long distance]

 

[reflexblue]

Interesting. I know he's been taking most of the A. Branch reps at DT alongside Brown on the first team defense, but does this kick Guy more to DE now?

I don't see Grissom as the 1st string answer and the team so far has been really down on Ealy. Flowers is a lock but this really puts the starter and depth at DE into a little turmoil.

I'm not worried, BB will find someone to fill Ninks shoes. After all he did just that in getting Nink from NO in '09. I feel BB does some of his best personel work at this time of the year.

 

[long distance]

 

[reflexblue]

I hope he sticks around in a coaching capacity. He has the IQ for it.

My first thought after reading he was retiring was him going into coaching.

 

[Brady6]

Time to dust off the old clone machine again.

Seriously though he went from who is this guy that looks exactly like Vrabel to a man with a great Patriot legacy of his own.

I think the Patriots began planning for this last year when McClellin was signed. Similar skill set and I see him as a good fit in that hybrid role.

 

[ashley]

A great Patriot and a real class act!!! He will be missed. Thank you Nink!!!

 

[long distance]

 

[Uptown]

460 Tackles
46 Sacks
5 INTs
10 Forced Fumbles
14 Fumble Recoveries
2 TDs
2x Super Bowl Champion.
1 Hell of a career.
Thank you, Ninko!!!

 

[patsfan13]

Nice career, bounced found a home as and will always be known as a PATRIOT. Cast in the Vrabel, Troy Brown mold guys who made the most of their abilities and were consummate team players.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think the Patriots began planning for this last year when McClellin was signed. Similar skill set and I see him as a good fit in that hybrid role.

Agree.

Assuming Nink calls it a career you'll have at 4-3 DE

Flowers
Shea
Ealy
Wise
Rivers

Everyone after Flowers is a question mark

High could play Ninks role but that takes away some flex.

I suppose Guy could bump out but he seems more like a 2,3 and 4 gap player

 

[borg]

I am most curious what kind of discussions have been going on between the Ninko camp and the team over the past 4 days.
Why four days into camp?
No question, Ninko's 2017 compensation was light on dollars with a salary only guaranteed for injury.
Was Ninko hoping the team would step up and restructure his deal in more favorable terms for the player?
Was NE taking a wait and see using the past 3 days of training camp to get a better feel for the players on the practice field?
Did Ninko believe he would be a bench player or an eventual roster cut?
What about the prorated $900k bonus already paid out?
As I wrote before, Reiss was very cryptic on July 26th "wondering" out loud which veteran would cause a camp surprise.
Given that Reiss did not report what he most likely already knew, I guess the 4 day delay was nothing more than allowing Ninko to walk away on his own terms with a little bit of spotlight still on him.

So....who will be the next Vrabel/ Ninko clone?

 

[SHOWTIME15]

this has taken me by surprise - same as i felt when bruschi retired.

 

[RobertWeathers]

this has taken me by surprise - same as i felt when bruschi retired.

Not to call you out but Bru's retirement seemed more predictable than Ninks. He was 36 at the time and missed a few games the year before. Maybe you saw him as the next Seau?