Former Saints LB Fujita retires
Linebacker Scott Fujita signed a one-day contract with the New Orleans Saints on Monday and then announced his retirement.
Fujita, who was one of the players named in the Saints' 'Bounty-gate' scandal, called it a career after 11 seasons.
Fujita signed his contract in Machu Picchu, which is in the Andes Mountains in Peru. He is with former Saints teammate Steve Gleason, who has Lou Gehrig's Disease.
"What better place to reach the end of the road than here at 10,000 feet above sea level, in the Peruvian Andes overlooking Machu Picchu with my dear friend Steve Gleason?" Fujita said in a statement.
Fujita, 33, spent the last three seasons with the Cleveland Browns. He was on injured-reserve last year. He helped the Saints win Super Bowl XLIV three years ago, totaling four tackles in the game.
He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys.
Fujita finishes his career with 767 tackles, 23.5 sacks, 11 forced fumbles and seven interceptions in 143 career games.
"I've been fortunate to play in this league for a long time and for some great organizations, but there is no doubt that my times spent in New Orleans were some of the best years of my life," Fujita said.
Fujita was one of four players suspended in the Saints 'bounty' program, but the disciplines were later overturned.
Fujita was the Saints' first free agent pickup when Sean Payton took over as coach in 2006.
"It was an important acquisition for us, getting a player of his caliber to come to New Orleans despite the conditions (after Hurricane Katrina) for a number of reasons because he saw an opportunity to become involved in the rebuilding of the city, yet quickly realized how important the team was to that effort," general manager Mickey Loomis said in a statement.
