Giants guard Chris Snee had the conversation many times over the past six months or so with those closest to him. Should he retire or try and return for another season despite a troublesome elbow that needed the nerve moved and relocated during surgery? It wasn't an easy decision, and one he waited months before making.

Snee decided prior to training camp this was the best moment to step aside given his physical ailments.

"I know it's my time," Snee said in a press release from the Giants.

"Before OTAs started I was confident," he added. "I was moving around great and I was strong enough where I felt that I could play and compete. But then once OTAs came around, I had to punch and stop somebody ... obviously, we're not wearing pads. I wasn't able to do it. Quite frankly, it hurt. But I thought maybe it was my joint getting used to that again. But the more I tried to do it, it became a concern to me that it wasn't responding the way it should and actually my (elbow) strength had started to go down in the weight room."

Snee, 32, was a four-time Pro Bowl player and an All-Pro. He won two Super Bowl titles in his 10 years with the team and is considered one of the best linemen in team history. (Vote here) Everyone pretty much agrees, it was a good run.

Owner John Mara:

"I think Chris was everything you could ever hope for in a player: toughness, integrity, and a lot of pride. Winning mattered to him. I think he set a great example for all of the other players. He's somebody we're going to miss very much. He was one of the greatest offensive linemen in Giants history, and he'll be on that Ring of Honor someday."



General manager Jerry Reese:

"Chris is a pro's pro. He played the game right. He was as tough and prideful as they come. We will miss him."

Coach and father-in-law Tom Coughlin:

"To me, he was the best guard in all of football. No doubt. No matter who you put him against, all of the great defensive tackles in the game, the 350 (pound) guys, the 340 guys, he blocked them. When he first came here, he was so, so committed and so driven to excel at the professional level as he had excelled at the collegiate level (at Boston College)."

"It's different because not only is it a great football player retiring from the game, who has contributed so much to our team and our franchise and has two world championships to show for it, he is a highly-respected and loved member of our family.



"The first time I met him I was with Jacksonville and I went up to Boston College (to scout a running back). Kate (his daughter) was a freshman at BC and I said, 'Let's have dinner tonight.' She said, 'Dad, can I bring a friend?' It was Snee. He doesn't say a word. Not one word that I can remember. You should see him with his kids. He's unbelievable. He has really blossomed here."

Owner Steve Tisch:

"Chris has been a great Giant, on and off the field. And that is the highest compliment we can pay somebody around here."

Quarterback Eli Manning:

"He called me yesterday and told me the news. I kind of knew there was a possibility with everything going on with his health. I'm obviously disappointed just because we've had a long run together. We came in the same year, were roommates for home games and away games that first year. We've won a lot of games and been through a lot together and been great pals, so I told him I'd miss him. He was the last one from our original class that came in together, but he's got to do what's best for him. I think he made a decision kind of based on how he's feeling and also based on what's best for the Giants. He's a true team player and just didn't think he was going to be able to help and wanted to put us in a situation where we kind of knew that early on. We're going to definitely miss his leadership and his presence around the locker room, around the team, but we'll still be great friends."



