Glover Quin deserves credit for knowing when to walk away

Former Detroit Lions safety, Glover Quin, announced his retirement. While he will be fondly remembered in the Motor City, the timing was right.

The Detroit Lions have their eyes firmly focused on tomorrow and every day that follows. General manager Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia don’t believe in looking back. Every day is a new opportunity to find some way to improve their franchise.

For the last six seasons, safety Glover Quin was, in reality, the Lions symbol of excellence. He showed up every day, played as smart and hard as he could, then let the chips fall where they may.

In a team sport that is one of the realities players have to come to grips with. No player is going to single-handedly win it all.

Even the best quarterbacks need help from their offensive line and their skill position players. Great passes mean little when they are dropped. The best linebackers or edge-rushers still need help from the rest of the defense in order to get stops. Not to mention an offense that co-operates and scores on a regular basis to give them a lead to protect.

Such is the way of football. No one player can do it all. It takes an entire team.

During the six seasons that Quin roamed Ford Field, he was a part of good teams and mediocre teams. You can certainly say that he always seemed to contribute to a Lions victory. You can seldom say that he contributed to a loss.

Such is the legacy that Glover Quin will leave behind.

I’m sure there are many Lions fans that will wish him good luck in his life after football. Usually, players need some good luck. Most players don’t get to retire on their own. Most players are told that they are finished.

But not Glover Quin. Just this past Tuesday morning, on an Instagram post, he announced his decision to retire from the NFL.