Raiders’ Charles Woodson to retire after 2015 season

Oakland Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson announced Monday that this will be his final season in the league. After winning the Heisman Trophy in 1997 as a member of the Michigan Wolverines, where he excelled in all three phases of the game, he was drafted in the first round by the Raiders, beginning an fantastic career. He then moved onto Green Bay for seven seasons, which included four more Pro Bowl selections and a victory in Super Bowl XLV.

The best individual season of Woodson’s career came in 2009, when he won the AP Defensive Player of the Year award.

Woodson is tied for the most career defensive touchdowns with 13 and is sixth on the all-time interceptions list with 65.

Woodson has five interceptions this season and was named the AFC defensive player of the month in October.

The Raiders, who are 6-8, close the season at Kansas City on January 3. “Kind of, but in a way, a couple weeks ago it hit me that this would be it”, Woodson said. Tafur wrote that Woodson said he had a hard time getting the words out when he told his teammates on Monday.

Talking to reporters after the team’s practice, Woodson said that he needed to let the fans know that Thursday will be the last time that the Black Hole will witness #24 gracing the Coliseum for one last game before calling it a career. It could be the last night the Raiders play in Oakland. He has had a long, impressive career in the NFL.

Woodson was better than many expected, playing at a high level for two years when the team was terrible.

When he rejoined the Raiders after the 2012 season, Woodson was received with joyful applause by fans who greeted him at the team facility.

“I’ve been emotional all day, really, so it will be that way Thursday for myself, for my family, friends, for Raider Nation”, Woodson said.

“I woke up that morning and for whatever reason, I knew it”, Woodson said. “There’ll be a lot of opportunities to explore going forward”, he said.