Vince Wilfork Mulling Retirement

Texans nose tackle Vince Wilfork is preparing for the team’s wild-card round game against the Raiders on Saturday, but he’s also contemplating his future in the NFL. The 13th-year man revealed Tuesday that he could retire after the season.

Vince Wilfork

“I’ve been thinking about it,” Wilfork said (via Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com). “I’m not saying I will do it, and I’m not saying that I won’t do it. But it’s definitely not off the table.”

The 35-year-old Wilfork just wrapped up a regular season in which he started in all 15 appearances and finished second among Texans defensive linemen in snaps (507). However, the 325-pounder’s overall performance didn’t draw rave reviews from Pro Football Focus, which ranked him 99th among 123 qualified interior defenders. Wilfork was a much more imposing presence as a member of the Patriots from 2004-14, earning five Pro Bowl nods and winning a pair of Super Bowls during that span.

Wilfork, who entered the league as a first-round pick from Miami, left New England in March 2015 to sign a two-year deal with the Texans. That contract will expire after the season, so Wilfork’s career might not continue in Houston even if he does return in 2017. In the meantime, he’ll spend the coming weeks trying to earn a third Super Bowl ring.

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