New York Football Giants: Chris Snee to Retire.

Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Remember way back when I asked about Chris Snee‘s health — you know — yesterday. Apparently it was a pretty serious question, because now it’s being reported that Chris Snee will retire from the NFL. Last night, it was first noted by Dan Graziano who was then confirmed by NFL information czar, Adam Schefter:

Giants former Pro-Bowl G Chris Snee to announce his retirement Monday, per @DanGrazianoESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 21, 2014

Report: New York Giants guard Chris Snee to retire

Man, the thought doesn’t even register. It seems like Coach Coughlin’s son-in-law has been in the league forever, but it’s only been a decade. For me, Chris Snee always brought up images of the movie, Hook. I always imagined Eli Manning and Chris Snee having this famous exchange, every preseason:

"Captain Eli Manning: [holding a pistol to his head] No stopping me this time, Snee. This is it. Don’t make a move Snee, not a step. My finger’s on the trigger. Don’t try to stop me, Snee.Snee: Oh, not again.Captain Eli Manning: This is it. Don’t try to stop me this time, Snee. Don’t try to stop me this time, Snee. Don’t you dare try to stop me this time, Snee, try to stop me. Snee, you’d better get up off your ass. Get over here, Snee!Snee: I’m coming. I’m coming.Captain Eli Manning: Stop me! This is not a joke! I’m committing suicide![Snee triggers the gun away from Manning’s head, sinking the model ship in the pool]Captain Eli Manning: Don’t ever frighten me like that again.Snee: I’m sorry.Captain Eli Manning: What are you, some kind of a sadist?Snee: I’m sorry, I’m sorry. How do you feel now?Captain Eli Manning: [sighs] I want to die.Snee: Oh, now, now.Captain Eli Manning: There’s no adventure here.Snee: [hold out Manning’s gun] You call this no adventure?Captain Eli Manning: Death is the only adventure I have left, Snee."

What will Captain Eli Manning do without his trusted, Snee? No one knows. Chris Snee was drafted after the Philip Rivers shenanigans in 2004… immediately, in the second round, the 34th pick of the draft. The atypical offensive lineman you draft in the second round that shores up your unit for a decade. That’s Chris Snee to a tee. Heck, Chris Snee fit the profile of perfect lineman so well, the head coach let him marry his daughter. In football, that’s love.

Chris Snee is a great NFL story. He grew up in Edison, New Jersey and went to high school at Montrose where he beasted. Here are his stats from his Boston College page:

"Earned all-state honors as a junior and senior at Montrose High School…was selected as the regional defensive player of the year in 1999…was a three-year all-conference choice and a two-year all-regional honoree…registered 47 sacks in his three years as a starter on the defensive line; was also a starter on the offensive line…led his team to the district championship in both 1997 and 1998…totaled 101 tackles in his senior season…served as 1999 team captain for head coach Tom Lucenti…was a two-year all-conference selection and team captain on Montrose?s basketball team…played in the 43rd annual Big 33 Football Classic; the game features the top players from Pennsylvania and Ohio."

I’d get into Chris’ Boston College stats, but all that stuff will be covered and then some in the coming days. What’s important to note is that when Chris had an opportunity to be a college lineman, he did it to the best of his ability. What does that mean? That means right off the bat, he was competitive at an All-American level. To attend a university with the heralded history of Boston College and become an All-American??? That’s really something, and not just in terms of football either — but LIFE. What an American story. Chris graduated from Boston College not only as a member of the National Honor Society, but a member of the French National Honor Society as well. It’s apparent that normal human restrictions weren’t meant for Chris Snee.

Think about it, who wins two Super Bowls? Who glides through college with tremendous respect and admiration from anyone that had contact with them?

The answer to that is: Chris Snee. But he didn’t just effect Eli Manning in the pocket to Super Bowl success. He didn’t just effect the immediate Coughlin family outside the lines. No, no, no… Chris Snee effected the lives of millions of New York Football Giants fans around the globe. Fans like our very own Felix Davila (@FelixNYG) have stories about Chris Snee, stuff like:

"My fond Chris Snee memories mainly consist of how strong he was in pass protection. He’s an excellent run blocker, but he always held his own, especially when against 3-4 teams to help anchor the NT with Shaun O’Hara. But his consistency, along with the league wide appreciation he got, though small, was fantastic for me, because he was one of few Giants to receive such praise. That’s honestly the extent of it to me. OL’s don’t receive much focus or admiration for me to reminisce, but for Chris Snee — there’s an exception. He will be missed."

For the majority of his career, Chris Snee didn’t miss games. Over the course of his career, Chris has played in 141 NFL games and put his body through football nightmares in a vein attempt to win. A brutal feat which Chris Snee was able to achieve the games ultimate cumulative success in GIANT WIN, twice. The pinnacle measuring stick used by peers in the National Football League. The Super Bowl, Chris Snee has them, ask Dan Marino if that matters. It does.