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James Harrison announces retirement from NFL

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NFL linebacker James Harrison has retired from football. The former Pittsburgh Steeler and Cincinnati Bengal made the announcement on his Facebook page.

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I have made the difficult decision to retire as of today. My love for my family and the need to be there for them outweighs my desire to play the game. I have missed too many experiences with them because I devoted SO much time to my career. My love for the game isn't strong enough to make up for missing one more birthday or first day of school. I am retiring as a man who is truly grateful for all of his blessings. I am sincerely thankful to the people who have supported me over the years, first and foremost my family, the Rooney family and my Steeler family, also Mr. Brown, the Bengals organization and fans, and last but FAR from least, Steeler Nation. Thank you.

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Harrison, a five-time Pro Bowler and 2008 AP Defensive Player of the Year, was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He would help lead Pittsburgh to two Super Bowl titles, in 2005 and 2008, before joining the Bengals as a free agent in 2013. Harrison was released by Cincinnati this past March.

-- Alex Suskind

Biggest Retirements of 2014

Mike Montgomery

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After 32 seasons as a head coach, California's Mike Montgomery, 67, announced his retirement on March 31. Montgomery's teams went 130-73 in his six years at Cal, including a 21-14 record and NIT berth this season. He previously spent 18 years at Stanford (392-168) and eight at Montana (154-77). He also coached two seasons with the NBA's Golden State Warriors.

Liván Hernández

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Hernández's reliability and durability allowed him to rack up 178 wins, the fourth most by a Cuban-born pitcher and most ever by a pitcher who defected from Cuba after Fidel Castro's revolution. A below-average pitcher on his career who did start two games in two different World Series (1997 and 2002), Hernández is unlikely to draw more than a token Hall of Fame vote, nor should he, but his was absolutely a career worth remembering.

Rashard Mendenhall

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After six seasons in the NFL, running back Rashard Mendenhall has reportedly told teams he is retiring -- and for some interesting reasons. Mendenhall never fully recovered from an ACL tear in 2011, which affected his 2012 and 2013 performances. The 26-year-old ends his career with 1,081 carries, 4,236 yards and 72 touchdowns. <bold>GALLERY: BIGGEST RETIREMENTS OF 2013</bold> <bold>GALLERY: BIGGEST RETIREMENTS OF 2012</bold> <bold>GALLERY: BIGGEST RETIREMENTS OF 2011</bold> <bold>GALLERY: BIGGEST RETIREMENTS OF 2010</bold>

David Stern

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Arguably the most important commissioner in American professional sports history, David Stern spent 30 years at the helm of the NBA. Under his watch, the NBA expanded tremendously, both nationally and internationally. Games are now televised in 215 countries and regular season contests are regularly played outside North America. Stern also changed the structure of the league, instituting a salary cap and revenue sharing.

Derek Jeter

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The longtime Yankees shortstop announced in February his intention to retire from baseball at the end of the 2014 season, which will be his 20th season. "Captain Clutch" will finish his career as an all-time pinstripes legend and one of the greats of his era. Entering his final year, Jeter has played in 13 All-Star games and has won five World Series championships. When he officially retires, he'll be remembered as one of the greatest New York Yankees ever and a player who helped usher in a new era of Yankee glory.

Bud Selig

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As baseball's commissioner since 1992, Bud Selig has presided over his fair share of controversies, including the so-called Steroid Era and the 1994 players' strike. Selig announced last September that he planned to retire after the 2014 season, which will be his 23rd season in his role as commissioner. Although aspects of his tenure have been controversial, Selig has also overseen a major attendance spike for the game, the debut of the World Baseball Classic, and a changed MLB postseason format.

Roy Oswalt

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The former Astros ace decided to leave the mound for good this offseason after three career All-Star appearances and five finishes in the top-five of Cy Young voting. Oswalt spent the majority of his career with Houston before joining the Phillies in 2010. After a brief stint in Philadelphia, he played a year for each the Rangers and Rockies. While Oswalt won't be remembered as the greatest pitcher of his generation, he was one of the game's most consistent starting arms throughout his career.

Michael Young

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The longtime Texas Ranger announced his retirement from baseball in late January after spending 14 years in the big leagues. From 2004 to 2009, Young was named to six straight All-Star teams and added a seventh appearance in 2011. He played for the Rangers for 13 seasons before splitting time this past season with the Phillies and Dodgers. Young was a very good hitter, leading the league in batting average in 2005 and batting over .300 for seven seasons. He helped take Texas to two straight World Series in 2010 and 2011, although the Rangers failed to win either Series.

Lance Berkman

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After only playing 73 games for the Rangers in 2013, Lance Berkman decided to retire in late January. Berkman played 12 years for the Houston Astros before bouncing around between the Cardinals, Yankees and Rangers since he was traded to New York in 2010. Throughout his stay in Houston, Berkman was one of the game's better hitters, racking up a career-high 45 home runs and 136 RBIs in 2006. The six-time All-Star led the Astros to the World Series in 2005, but Houston fell to the White Sox. He finished his career with 359 home runs, 1,191 RBIs and a lifetime .296 batting average. <bold>GALLERY: BIGGEST RETIREMENTS OF 2013</bold> <bold>GALLERY: BIGGEST RETIREMENTS OF 2012</bold> <bold>GALLERY: BIGGEST RETIREMENTS OF 2011</bold> <bold>GALLERY: BIGGEST RETIREMENTS OF 2010</bold>

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