ProFootballCentral.com

Mike Rucker, the second-leading tackler in Carolina Panthers history and one of the franchise’s most recognizable players, is retiring after nine seasons. Rucker will make the announcement at an afternoon news conference at Bank of America Stadium, a team official said Tuesday. The move comes 10 weeks after Rucker decided he’d try to play for at least one more season. But the 33-year-old Rucker recently began having second thoughts, and the Panthers decided not to re-sign the unrestricted free agent.