Brandon Jacobs retires

There was never a dull moment around Brandon Jacobs, the over-sized running back with the body of a defensive end and, at times, the temperament of a raging bull.  His nine-year NFL career – eight of those years spent with the Giants – came to an end on Thursday when he announced his retirement.

“After 9 years in this whirlwind business they call the NFL, I am proud to announce that I am hanging up my cleats,’’ Jacobs wrote on his Twitter account. “I’ve had an amazing run and I appreciate all of the support from the fans through the good and the bad. The New York Giants are a great organization and I am proud to have been a part of it for so long. I love my coaches and my teammates and will miss them as well as the game itself but I am healing well from my surgery and I look forward to running around with my kids for years to come!”

Jacobs, 31, was re-signed by the Giants after the second game of this season after spending 2012 with the 49ers, his only season away from the Giants since they made him their 2005 fourth-round draft pick.  Jacobs played in only seven games and landed on injured reserve after undergoing knee surgery.  He was unlikely to be able to resume his career and his retirement announcement was not unexpected.

This season, Jacobs had 58 rushing attempts for 238 yards. For his career, he rushed for 5,094 yards and 60 touchdowns.   At 6-foot-4 and 264 pounds, he was one of the biggest running backs in NFL history and at times he was a pulverizing force, delighting in running over smaller defensive players.  His best season was 2008, when he gained 1,089 yards and scored 15 touchdowns.

Jacobs last season signed with the 49ers but it was an unhappy and unproductive year and he was overjoyed when the Giants brought him back this season.  He said earlier in the week he would advise Giants free agents to stay put if at all possible, as the grass is not always greener elsewhere.

“I won two championships here and its never going to be the same anywhere else, and I tried telling these guys that,’’ Jacobs said.  “This is the time when guys are making decisions whether or not they want to do this or that, think they’re being disrespected by this or that. I told them you better sit down and realize and take it from somebody that’s been there, if this is the only place you’ve ever been you better stay here, because it’s not going to be the same anywhere else.”