Jason Ferguson Retires

While many fans were shocked when Miami Dolphins nose tackle Jason Ferguson was suspended by the NFL for the first eight games of the 2010 NFL season as a repeat offender for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy, none could have been as stunned as when they heard the latest developments in the continuing saga of the defensive line anchor - that, as of July 15, Ferguson has now officially retired from the NFL.

While the situation in reality isn’t all that perplexing – I mean, the guy is about to turn 36 years old, has been in the NFL for 13 years and, like I said, is going to be out for the first eight games of the season – but what IS confusing, however, is his method of delivery. On his official Twitter account, Ferguson as recently as Wednesday had written about how excited he was about the upcoming season, which is a very normal Twitter entry for someone who is about two weeks away from the start of NFL training camp. However, to have the Dolphins announce your retirement the very next day in a public statement is, undoubtedly to anyone, a bit puzzling.

While message boards and conspiracy theorists have been flocking about with speculation that he had possibly failed yet another drug test and just wanted to get out before yet another suspension was tacked on (think Ricky Williams in 2004 part II), one NFL spokesman came out with a statement denying those claims, stating that there was “no further violation.”

So while we may never know the true reasons behind Ferguson’s abrupt decision to leave an NFL contender, we do know that his absence means the loss of a true leader in the locker room (he was a captain last year), a veteran that other players on the squad looked up to and a fierce competitor and anchor on the D-Line. During his 13-year career, which saw him play in 159 games and start 128 for the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and the Dolphins, he recorded 569 tackles, 21.5 sacks, six forced fumbles and had two fumble recoveries.

Now, as the Fins look toward a future without Ferguson, the question remains – how do you fill his void? The answer for the moment seems to be in the hands of nose tackle Paul Soliai and defensive end Randy Starks, both of whom were going to fill the eight-game void and now look to be permanent solutions. And while Ferguson may be stepping away from the field, by no means does that means the fans should go anywhere. In fact, with the Fins’ stock on the rise and with the season rapidly approaching, now is the time to get your Miami Dolphins tickets and Miami Dolphins tailgate packages while you can, all right here at MiamiDolphinsTickets.com!