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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Packers’ Ruettgers Calls It Quits

Associated Press

Ken Ruettgers, who helped the Green Bay Packers rise from the rubbish of the NFL to the cusp of the Super Bowl, called it a career on Wednesday.

He said he was retiring after 12 years in the NFL all in Green Bay - because the persistent pain in his degenerative left knee “just became a bigger factor than my optimism.”

Less than 48 hours after making his first start of he season, the veteran left tackle arrived at Lambeau Field on Wednesday morning to tell his coaches and teammates that he was calling it quits.

“I’ve been experiencing some real pain and I can’t do that anymore,” Ruettgers said. “It’s above my head in pain. I cannot do it anymore. So, it saddens me to have to do this at this time.”

The news shook the Packers, who have been decimated by injuries on offense and the unexpected jolt on Tuesday that cornerback Tyrone Williams would be sent to jail next month for shooting at a car while in college.

“When he came up and told me, he was real emotional,” said defensive end Reggie White. “You know, we’ve had some bad things happen to us here, with Kenny, the Tyrone situation, with Robert Brooks getting hurt, Antonio Freeman getting hurt. I mean, it’s been a year of adversity.”

Mike Holmgren says Williams isn’t the thug that people might think and he hopes to have his rookie cornerback around all year to prove it.

The coach of the Green Bay Packers said that an appeal is forthcoming over Williams’ six-month jail sentence stemming from a 1994 shooting incident that occurred when Williams was at the University of Nebraska.

Holmgren said the Packers had expected Williams to get probation.

“I was surprised by it. I think most people involved from our end were surprised at the outcome,” he said. “It was our feeling that while there was going to be some sort of sentencing, certainly, it was not going to include time.”

If legal maneuvers don’t stay the sentence imposed Tuesday by District Judge Bernard McGinn in Lincoln, Neb., Williams must report to the county jail by Dec. 3. He could be out in 126 days with full time off for good behavior.

Williams, 23, is believed to be the first active NFL player sentenced to a jail term during a regular season.

Young returns as starter

Two days after expressing concerns about allowing Steve Young to play so soon after his second concussion, coach George Seifert has re-installed him as the 49ers’ starting quarterback.

Some unsolicited advice from broadcaster and former Raiders coach John Madden helped convince Seifert to start Young on Sunday at Washington ahead of Elvis Grbac.

Madden had said earlier this week on his radio show that if the doctors cleared Young and Young himself felt well enough to play, then Young should start.

“I said, ‘Gee, that kind of makes sense,”’ Seifert said.

On Monday, Young received medical clearance to play. But Seifert said he worried that Young’s lingering groin strain would affect his mobility, leaving him more vulnerable to the kind of hits that caused concussions Oct. 27 at Houston and Nov. 10 against Dallas.