Brad Meester makes first career catch in final home game

Brad Meester is retiring after 14 years in the league, all with the Jaguars. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) The Jaguars drafted center Brad Meester with the

Brad Meester is retiring after 14 years in the league, all with the Jaguars. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

The Jaguars drafted center Brad Meester with the 60th-overall pick in the 2000 draft. Sunday, in his final home game before he retires at the end of this season, they threw him his first career pass.

On a 2nd-and-8 from the Tennessee 13, Jacksonville QB Chad Henne dropped a screen pass out to Meester, who danced his way for a first down. The home crowd saluted the effort with a standing ovation.

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Meester has played in 195 games for the Jaguars, with 194 starts in his long career. He announced this week that he would be hanging it up following Week 17.

"It's something I seriously thought about for a long time," Meester said, via the Associated Press. "It's been a tough decision for me because this is something that I love doing. ... But the more and more I thought about it, the more I know that it's time and I'm looking forward to that next chapter in my life and being able to spend some time with my family."

In addition to working him into the passing game, the Jaguars also paid tribute to Meester on the cover of Sunday's game program. And he received a nice welcome when coming onto the field during introductions:

#Jaguars C Brad Meester runs onto @EverBankField for the final time. #TENvsJAX pic.twitter.com/zU8orzKbsJ

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) December 22, 2013