Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah announces retirement

Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah announced on Monday that he is retiring in the NFL after seven seasons.

Abdullah, who turned 31 in July, made the announcement via Twitter.

“After seven years in the NFL, I am retiring,” he wrote.

Abdullah cited “numerous” factors in his decision, with the primary being his personal health, noting he suffered the fifth concussion of his career last season.

“Sitting for five weeks last year after suffering the fifth concussion of my career, I had a lot to contemplate,” Abdullah wrote. “My goals moving forward are to be of benefit to my family, my community, my country and hopefully the world. Having a sound mind will be vital in accomplishing these goals.”

Abdullah spent the last three years of his career with the Chiefs after beginning his career with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent of Washington State. He thanked both teams for the opportunities it gave him.

“I would like to thank the Minnesota Vikings for giving me an opportunity to make the team after going undrafted in 2008,” he wrote. “I experienced a great deal of growth both as a football player and as a person during my 4 years in Minnesota. Thank you.”

During his tenure with the Chiefs, Abdullah played in 43 regular-season games and tallied 104 tackles, two interceptions and 15 pass deflections. He proved to be a smart, versatile player that Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton also felt comfortable using as a nickel corner or linebacker, in addition to his typical safety duties.

“The Kansas City Chiefs will forever have a special place in my heart,” he wrote. “After sitting out of football to fulfill my Hajj Pilgrimage in 2012, the Chiefs were the first to call. The three years I spent playing for KC may have been the most enjoyable football experience in my entire life. Thank you.”

Abdullah’s retirement leaves star Eric Berry, veteran Ron Parker and third-year pro Daniel Sorensen as remaining safeties who logged defensive snaps last year. Another safety who played an extensive amount, Tyvon Branch, signed with the Cardinals as a free agent.

Abdullah’s retirement, plus Branch’s eventual departure, helps explain why the Chiefs conducted formal interviews with at least two safeties — Ohio State’s Vonn Bell and Clemson’s T.J. Green — at the NFL Combine in February. Coach Andy Reid also announced recently that special-teams ace and occasional defensive contributor Jamell Fleming (157 defensive snaps in 2015) is making the move to safety.

The Chiefs also have a little bit of money remaining — about $5.7 million in cap room — to sign a veteran to fortify the position in free agency after Abdullah’s announcement.

“Thank you to everyone I’ve crossed paths with during my time as a player,” Abdullah said. “You’ve had an impact on my life for the better. Thanks for the love and support. It’s greatly appreciated.”

Here is the post from Abdullah:

This story was originally published March 28, 2016 at 8:50 AM with the headline "Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah announces retirement."