Former Chiefs Safety Ron Parker Announces He's Retiring From the NFL

An undrafted journeyman who became an integral part of the Kansas City organization, Ron Parker started his career in limbo, bouncing around practice squads and two teams a year to becoming a productive defensive player in the NFL.

He found a home in with the Chiefs in 2013 and was an everyday starter for five seasons, but, at age 32, Parker has announced his retirement from the league after failing to latch on with a team this year.

Parker was versatile in his roles, often filling in throughout the defensive backline even though his craft was at safety. He was given a five-year, $30 million contract in 2015 as he continued to make an impact at the NFL level.

But Kansas City struggled defensively in 2018, giving up the second-most passing yards and the fifth-highest percentage of offensive scores per drives, which resulted in his release.

Nonetheless, Parker thanked the Chiefs and coach Andy Reid for their support.

Parker references his struggles coming out of a Division II college early and working his way all the way up to where he finished at the NFL level. He credits this to Kansas City's ownership in the Hunt family and coach Reid.

Chiefs nation will have Parker in mind as the team embarks on a hopeful Super Bowl run.