After 11 seasons with Pats, Light retires

FOXBORO -- Saying "when you know it's your time, you just know," Matt Light officially retired Monday morning after 11 seasons with the Patriots.

Several teammates and coaches attended the ceremony, which took place in the Patriots Hall of Fame. After short speeches from owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick, the veteran offensive lineman addressed the reasons behind his decision to step away from the game for 11 years.

"I've got a daughter that's 10, I've got two boys who are knuckleheads and they need a lot of guidance a lot more time," said Light. "I think that one of things that was ever apparent over the last couple seasons, it takes a lot longer to recover the older you get. Really during that six, seven, eight months of that football season, it really becomes very difficult to give much outside of a 'hi' or 'Good night' or 'Good morning.' That's always been really important.

"Also health reasons, just wanting to leave this game upright and feeling good. To be quite honest with you, I really had this sense of being grateful for the experience. I remember 2011, this past season there was a different mindset, maybe that's why I enjoyed some success out there. I really just felt like I am blessed to be a part of this. It made this season so memorable, so fun, for me, when I finally closed this chapter, I am truly grateful. Especially this young talent, I saw how talented they were and how they were in good hands. With [offensive line coach] Dante [Scarnecchia] in the room, there's going to be high expectations."

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