After a season guiding the Buffalo Bills to their first winning record since 2004, the team announced Monday morning that quarterback Kyle Orton has informed the front office of his plans to retire from the NFL.“I just have been going at it for 10 years and it’s just a family decision and I’ve decided to get home and be a dad and call it a day,’ said Orton, in a statement.
Orton joined the team prior to the start of the 2014 regular season. He started 12 games taking over for an ineffective EJ Manuel, completing 287 of 447 pass attempts for 3,018 yards, 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The team was 7-5 with Orton as a starter.
Orton was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, and Dallas Cowboys.
The Bills closed the season with a with a 17-9 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday, giving them a 9-7 record for the season.
Orton's retirement leaves two quarterbacks on the Bills roster, EJ Manuel and Jeff Tuel. The team is expected to add to the position through the draft and/or free agency.
Orton, a 10-year NFL veteran, had one year left on a two-year contract he signed just prior to the start of the season.
