Michael Strahan stood at a podium at Giants Stadium today, and with a straight face said he would have retired with or without a Super Bowl championship.
But it sure made it a whole lot easier.
“Either way I would have retired,” the Giants defensive end said. “It was hard for me to come back last year.
“But winning the Super Bowl was icing on the cake. It was as if it was a blessing from above, trust me.”
Strahan’s 15-year career ended yesterday when he told the team he was done playing football, and today he was reflective, gracious and appreciative in front of a media group he didn’t always get along with.
The Giants begin mincamp this week and Strahan said he owed it to the only team he ever played for to let them know his plans.
“The reason that I made this announcement now is because I think it is fair to everybody,” Strahan said. “It is fair to the organization, it is fair to players and it is fair to the fans.
“I think so much was being made of, am I going to play, am I not going to play, that I’m sick of it. So I can’t imagine as another player if you are asked those questions all of the time. I can’t image as a coach who is asked those questions all of the time. And as a fan you are wondering.
“And I just felt like it was important that everyone knew as soon as possible, especially before we started minicamp.”
Last year, Strahan, mulling retirement then, skipped training camp but returned in time to start all 16 regular-season games and help the team on its unlikely playoff run and historic 17-14 win over the unbeaten Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
“I don’t think you need a ring to fulfill your career, but when you don’t have one, you justify to yourself that you don’t need it,” Strahan said. “Then, when you get one, you’re like, ‘There’s no way I could have left without it.'”
The storybook ride justified Strahan’s decision to return and his choice to leave now.
“I don’t think you can write a book, you can write a movie, you can write anything that anyone will believe if you put what happened to us throughout the season in it,” Strahan said. “And that is what makes it so sweet and that is what makes it feel so good to be able to retire and say, ‘Hey, we did it.’
“There is no better way to go out than to go out right now.”
Strahan, who played all but 15 games after his rookie season, also said he wanted to keep his relatively excellent health in tact.
“I have been blessed with great health for the most part,” Strahan said. “And maybe after 15 years the man upstairs said, ‘Michael, I let you stick around for 15, I gave you a ring, now don’t be stupid.’
“So I am trying not to be stupid.”
Strahan said physically he could still play and contribute, but felt it was a good time to step aside and let younger teammates Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka develop as players.
“To be honest with you, I’m shocked,” Strahan said. “It is shocking for me to have the courage, I guess, to go against probably the grain of what everyone thinks in a lot of ways and against the grain in terms of what I sometimes feel by saying that, ‘Enough is enough.'”
Tom Coughlin called the likely Hall of Famer “the consummate New York Giant” and was grateful for the help the 36-year-old gave providing leadership.
“You never, ever saw any side of him other than being excited about going about his work,” Coughlin said. “We all know he had tremendous, tremendous pride in whom he was and who he is and who he brought to the table.
“[There is] tremendous respect and admiration on the part of the players, the coaches, the front office, the general managers throughout the league for this particular individual.”
As for the future, Strahan wouldn’t say, but a career in television is the likely next step.
“I have other opportunities and I’m undecided what I’m going to do,” Strahan said. “But what I do will definitely be a little easier than this job. I guarantee you that.”
Today was time to reflect on one of the greatest careers in Giants history.
“It is a sad but happy day,” Strahan said.
“At some point you have to realize that you have done just about all you feel like you can do or need to do. And that it is time to move on.”