Chad Greenway Will Announce Retirement Tuesday

image via Vikings.com

The Minnesota Vikings have announced that Chad Greenway will announce his retirement on Tuesday.

Greenway’s career with the Vikings comes to a close after serving as an icon for the franchise on and off the field for 11 years.

After being selected 17th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft, the former Iowa Hawkeye immediately suffered a torn ACL during his first preseason action in the NFL. But that didn’t stop him from becoming one of the most decorated players to ever don a purple and gold uniform.

Greenway was a 10-year starter at outside linebacker from 2007-2016. In that time span, the Mount Vernon, South Dakota native climbed to fourth in franchise history with 1,334 tackles. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection (2011 and 2012) and was named a second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press in 2012 as he helped lead the Vikings to a 7-win increase from the prior season and a playoff berth.

In six consecutive seasons from 2008-2013, Greenway was Minnesota’s leading tackler — a stretch that tied Scott Studwell for the longest streak in team history. Greenway was also voted Vikings Defensive MVP three times (2010, 2012 and 2013) and was named to the All-Mall of America Field Team in 2013, which recognized the greatest Vikings to ever play in the 32-year existence of the Metrodome.

Greenway’s 18 career sacks are third-most by a linebacker in team history while his 11 interceptions are tied for fifth-most in franchise history among linebackers.

As superb as Greenway’s career is on the field, his career off the field is just as good. He became a brilliant philanthropist in the Minnesota community and was a four-time recipient of the Vikings’ Man of the Year Award (2011, 2014, 2015 and 2016). In 2015, Greenway was named the Byron “Whizzer” White Award winner, a league-wide honor and the highest accolade bestowed by the NFL Players Association to the player who goes above and beyond to perform community service in their team city and hometown.

Greenway’s Lead The Way Foundation, established in 2008, continues to enhance education and health opportunities for children and to enrich the lives of individuals and families in need.

His accomplishments on and off the field speak for themselves — Greenway is one of the greatest men to ever put on a Minnesota Vikings jersey. We at Vikings Territory congratulate him on a brilliant career and wish him the best of luck (even though he won’t need it) in his future endeavors.

 

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