Retirement at 40? Vinny Likely Done Ken Berger Newsday 2/27/04 Paving the way for a graceful end to his 17-year career, quarterback Vinny Testaverde announced yesterday that he will not participate in the Jets' offseason workouts while he contemplates retirement. "I am considering, unless something changes, bringing an end to my professional playing career," Testaverde said in a statement released by the Jets and cleared by his agent, Michael Azzarelli. The announcement will allow Testaverde, 40, to retire after June 1, minimizing the salary-cap ramifications for the team he helped restore to championship contention in 1998. By retiring after June 1 instead of before, Testaverde would save the Jets $4 million against the 2004 salary cap. His remaining $7.5 million in prorated signing bonus would be divided over the next two seasons - $3.5 million in '04 and $4 million in '05 - instead of hitting all at once. "In discussions with the Jets' organization, they have been very positive and supportive of me," Testaverde said. "I really appreciate the opportunity to have come back to New York, my home, and have enjoyed being part of some of the most successful and exciting years the Jets have had." Testaverde told coach Herman Edwards and general manager Terry Bradway of his decision in a meeting this week. After the season, Testaverde said he'd retire before accepting a demotion to No. 3 quarterback behind Brooks Bollinger. "At this point of his career, we recognize his desire to re-evaluate his future," Edwards said in a statement. "Vinny is a consummate professional who represents the Jets and the NFL in a first-class manner. He's thrown for over 40,000 yards and was a win away from the Super Bowl. His overall contributions to the game are a testament to his dedication, hard work and perseverance, and we support any decision he decides to make." Barring an unimaginable change of heart, Testaverde will retire with the seventh-most passing yards (40,943) and completions (3,334) in NFL history. He is one of only nine quarterbacks to pass for more than 40,000 yards. Testaverde's star-crossed run with the Jets in many ways mirrored the compendium of thrills and agony in his career. Signed by then-coach Bill Parcells as a backup in 1998, Testaverde won the starting job and led the Jets to the AFC Championship Game. It was his finest hour. He threw for 3,256 yards, 29 touchdowns and only seven interceptions, making the Pro Bowl for the second time. But he fell short of the ultimate goal. With a 10-0 third-quarter lead over the Broncos at Mile High Stadium, the Jets were on the verge of reaching the Super Bowl for the first time in 30 years. Vinny and the Jets lost, 23-10, but had restored an atmosphere of winning. Expected to contend for the AFC title again in 1999, the Jets lost Testaverde to a ruptured Achilles tendon in the season opener. He was never the same again. He started all 16 games in 2000, when he turned 37, but was intercepted a league-high 25 times as the Jets missed the playoffs in coach Al Groh's only season. Testaverde led the Jets to the playoffs under Edwards in 2001, then lost his job to Chad Pennington after a 1-3 start in 2002. Fittingly, there was one more curtain call. Pennington fractured his left wrist in a preseason game last year, and Testaverde, at 39, stunned most observers with seven touchdown passes, two interceptions and the second-highest passer rating of his career (90.6). But the Jets were 2-5 in his seven starts before Pennington finished out a 6-10 season. It was the team's first losing record since it went 1-15 in 1996 under Rich Kotite.