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Pittsburgh Steelers CB Ike Taylor announces retirement

PITTSBURGH — Ike Taylor has decided to retire from football. The Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback made the announcement Tuesday morning.

"In this day of free agency, it's super rare for play for one team," Taylor said on the Ike Taylor Show on TribLIVE Radio.

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The 34-year-old had 14 interceptions in 12 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"For me to have this opportunity says a lot about how they felt about me, what I gave back to the organization," Taylor said.

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Reflecting on his career, Ike said he was "living the dream."
“Other than having my son, playing for the Steelers has been the best experience in my entire lifetime,” Ike said.
Taylor, who spent his career playing alongside a future Hall of Famer in Troy Polamalu said it was important for him to retire with No. 43.
“I was pretty much waiting for Troy to make his decision,” Taylor said. “I was going to retire anyway. Me coming in with Troy and me going out with Troy was my decision I made a long time ago. We come in together and go out together in two different terms. It probably wasn't the way you wanted to end the story.”

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“I wasn’t cut, I wasn’t released. It was just my contract was up and it was time to retire. If you want to have pride, well that is the kind of pride I have, being able to play my contract out," No. 24 said.

Taylor took a pay cut last spring to play one more season for the Steelers. He broke his right forearm in a Week 3 win over Carolina, but returned three months later only to be hurt again in a win over Cincinnati.

He became a free agent in March and rather than take a chance and hope he had enough left to make the team somewhere else, Taylor decided to retire.

Taylor was extremely well-liked by teammates and coaches.

When he dropped a sure pick during training camp in 2013, coach Mike Tomlin jokingly yelled "that's why you're Pro Bowl alternate and not Pro Bowl starter."

The ever ebullient Taylor laughed, part of an engaging personality that made him a favorite in the locker room and a cult hero among one of the NFL's most ardent fan bases.

He served as the unquestioned leader of a group in transition over the past three years, taking youngsters such as Cortez Allen and Antwon Blake under his wing even though he knew they would eventually replace him.

Taylor's exit is the latest during an offseason of significant change. Polamalu, defensive end Brett Keisel and Hall of Fame defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau won't be back next season. Keisel was cut in March and LeBeau did not have his contract renewed. Linebacker Jason Worilds also abruptly retired at 27 just hours after hitting the free agent market.

"I'm going to miss all of it," Taylor said. "I will miss the camaraderie, the personalities. Different people from different walks of life, all in one setting, having the same goal trying to be the best. It's not like that in the regular world, but it was like that with the Steelers."

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