Duvall
06-20-2014, 11:25 AM
245 games. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-patrick-mannelly-retires-20140620,0,5347562.story)
The flawless precision with which Pat Mannelly went about his job snapping the football for 16 years and the leadership he brought to the locker room as the most tenured player in Chicago Bears history are reasons why the club waited this deep into the offseason for an answer from the veteran.
General manager Phil Emery, coach Marc Trestman and special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis have said it publicly numerous times: The door was open for Mannelly to return after he underwent hip surgery.
But multiple sources told the Tribune that Mannelly, 39, will announce his retirement Friday, meaning the team will have a new permanent long snapper this season for the first time since 1997.
The flawless precision with which Pat Mannelly went about his job snapping the football for 16 years and the leadership he brought to the locker room as the most tenured player in Chicago Bears history are reasons why the club waited this deep into the offseason for an answer from the veteran.
General manager Phil Emery, coach Marc Trestman and special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis have said it publicly numerous times: The door was open for Mannelly to return after he underwent hip surgery.
But multiple sources told the Tribune that Mannelly, 39, will announce his retirement Friday, meaning the team will have a new permanent long snapper this season for the first time since 1997.