HOUSTON — Bruce Matthews, the most durable offensive lineman in NFL history — not to mention one of the best — thought he would know it was time to retire when he didn't want to play anymore.

        It didn't work out that way, Matthews said Monday in announcing his retirement from the Tennessee Titans after 296 games over 19 years spent entirely with the franchise, including the first 14 when it was the Houston Oilers.

        “I thought when you retire you're done with it and you don't have the desire to play any more,” Matthews said. Instead, Matthews vacillated during the offseason before finally deciding to spend the upcoming season in his suburban Houston home rather than Nashville, Tenn.

        Titans owner Bud Adams played host to Matthews' farewell news conference at his KSA Industries Inc. offices in southwest Houston. He praised the lineman's presence on and off the field as he introduced him.

        “He obviously was a great football player, but what I found admirable about Bruce was that God and family were clearly more important than football and this is what made him such a special man, not just a special football player,” Adams said.

        Matthews will join running back Earl Campbell, defensive end Elvin Bethea, safety Jim Norton and fellow offensive lineman and best friend Mike Munchak as the only Oilers/Titans to have their numbers retired by the franchise.

        Munchak, an NFL Hall of Famer who played alongside Matthews for 12 years and has coached him the last seven, said he knew the team's first-round draft pick in 1983 would live up to a reputation earned as a star at Southern California.

        “When he actually stepped on the field, all eyes were on him,” Munchak said. “Watching him in practice that first day ... I knew we had something special here.”

        Matthews leaves behind some impressive numbers for a position short on statistics:

        - His 14 Pro Bowls, nine at guard and five at center, matched Merlin Olsen for most in NFL history. He was voted first-team All-Pro six times.

        - Matthews blocked for four 1,000-yard rushers: Campbell, Mike Rozier, Gary Brown and Eddie George. He also paved the way for Charles White and Marcus Allen to win Heisman Trophies at USC.

        - He appeared in every game in the 1990s, a feat accomplished only by fellow lineman Randall McDaniel of Minnesota.

        - Titans coach Jeff Fisher, a teammate of Matthews' for two seasons at USC, estimated the lineman was in on more than 21,000 plays.

        - Combined with brother Clay Matthews, who ranks on sixth in games played at 278, they established what might be an unbreakable record of 574 NFL games by brothers.

        Matthews toyed with the idea of a 20th season not in Nashville but back in Houston, where he lives with his wife and six children and owns a construction company with Munchak and friend Bob Queen.

        “But that wasn't the way it was meant to be, and I don't have a problem with that,” said Matthews, who's looking forward to Friday nights watching sons Steven and Kevin play high school football.

        Matthews called the Titans' 2000 Super Bowl appearance his career high point, with the nadir being the franchise's litany of playoff disasters, especially the 1992 wildcard game in which the Oilers blew a 32-point lead in the third quarter and lost 41-38 to the Buffalo Bills.

        His quarterback then, Warren Moon, praised Matthews on Monday.

        “Bruce was the most talented, intelligent and competitive lineman I played with in my 20 years of professional football,” Moon said. “There may have been more physical players or intelligent players or competitive players, but no one had them all wrapped up into one package like Bruce.”

        Former foes were equally effusive.

        “Bruce Matthews has been a great ambassador for the National Football League,” Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. “He has been an outstanding competitor and ultimate professional.”

        Matthews said he'll still follow the Titans as the expansion Houston Texans begin playing. The Oiler/Titan Columbia blue blood was clearly flowing when asked how he thought he might have reacted playing in Houston as a visiting player.

        “We would have killed them,” Matthews said. “The Texans have got to take their lumps.”

Jones cautioned not to hold out Raiders sign Gannon to six-year extension Titans 'iron-man' Matthews retires

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