D'Brickashaw Ferguson 'not retiring because of CTE'

Former New York Jets left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson held his official retirement press conference Thursday after missing just one snap in his career and never being listed on an injury report.

Ferguson had expressed concerns about the league's handling of long-term brain injuries last season after seeing the "Concussion" movie. He called his education about CTE "groundbreaking," but stated it wasn't the reason for his retirement.

"I'm not retiring because of CTE," Ferguson told media via New York Daily News.

The 32-year-old admitted his skills have been diminishing, and when he heard the Jets were shopping for a replacement, it took him by surprise.

"I think not to be the guy who automatically is the left tackle ... was something new to me. I was taken aback," Ferguson said. "You play your game, and then at a certain point, the game must end, right? There’s a natural progression in sports.

“When (playing at a high level) continues to get harder and harder and harder, you also have to ask yourself, how long can I continue to do this?"