Roos believes time may be ripe

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Titans tackle Michael Roos has played 10 NFL seasons and 148 career games.

As he cleaned out his locker Monday at Saint Thomas Sports Park, it sure sounded like the former Eastern Washington University standout has played his last game.

“That’s a very strong consideration for (me not playing again),” Roos said. “It has been 10 years and it’s been a lot of fun, but mentally it starts taking a drain on you sometime, so we’ll see.

“I can’t complain about 10 years … and I was healthy all the way up until the 10th year.”

Roos, a second-round draft pick in 2005, has an expiring contract.

Even before the season, he’d given thought to this being his last one. Then he suffered a knee injury in the team’s Oct. 5 game at Cleveland and went on injured reserve. Taylor Lewan replaced him.

Roos said on Monday he had “a variation of microfracture (surgery)” on his right knee. As he described it, a piece of bone came loose, so doctors cleaned out the area, drilled new holes and used new bone from his knee to fill holes.

“The way it was done, it is not great to come back and play on these types of injuries,” Roos said. “But the way Dr. (Burton) Elrod did it, there’s a possibility if I want to.”

Roos, 32, said he plans to take the offseason to make a final decision. He’s still a few months away from being able to test the knee in football activities. Roos acknowledged it’s “over 50” percent he’ll retire, but he said that could change.

“I think my mind will allow me to walk away before my body will,” Roos said. “I think even if I know my body can do it, it’s the mental part of it that’s probably going to be the reason.”