Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that former Falcons G Justin Blalock is retiring from the NFL.

Blalock has confirmed the news by releasing a statement regarding his decision to walk away from the NFL:

“I’d like to sincerely thank the Atlanta Falcons, all my teammates and especially the fans. I’ve had an unbelievable 8 years and only wish I could have helped bring a championship to the ATL.”

Blalock, 31, is a former second-round pick of the Falcons back in 2007. He spent all eight of seasons in Atlanta before the team elected release him this past March in a move that freed up $3,790,000 in available cap space.

There was some interest in him this offseason as he met with the Lions and was linked to the Rams and Titans since becoming available. However, there hasn’t been any serious buzz regarding him in recent weeks.

Last year, Blalock appeared in 15 games for the Falcons. Pro Football Focus had Blalock rated as the No. 25 guard in the league out of 78 qualifying players.

We had Blalock listed as the No. 16 player in our Top 25 Best Available Free Agents list.