WhoDat!656

We caught wind earlier today of linebacker Scott Fujita’s intention to retire as a member of the Saints not long before the launch of Monday’s PFT Live. So, at some point in the 20 minutes before the show started, I thumb-typed a series of questions for Fujita with one hand while shaving my face and adjusting my toupee with the other.

Fujita responded, from Peru, where he is helping former teammate Steve Gleason traverse the terrain.

Here’s the full, unedited question and answer session with Fujita, who signed his contract in Machu Picchu, Peru.

Q: Why the Saints?

A: I’ve been fortunate to play in this league for a long time for some great organizations. But my time spent in New Orleans was certainly the best four years of my career. When Mickey Loomis found out I was preparing to officially retire, he reached out as I was about to board a plane to Peru, to ask if I’d like to sign a contract with the team and officially retire as a Saint. I was blown away by that. And what better time to make something like this official than on the grounds of Machu Picchu with my friend & former teammate Steve Gleason?

Q: Did you have any offers for 2013?

A: When I got hurt this past season, it was pretty clear that it would likely be the end of my career. But I didn’t want to rush into any decisions. I wanted to catch my breath before making any public announcements. But I think most people were pretty sure it was the end of the road for me as a player. I’ve been pretty beat up the past few years, am clearly not the same player, and I’ve already had one neck surgery & am possibly facing another down the road, so we had to make health the priority. It’s definitely time.

Q: What’s next?

A: My goal is to take it easy for a bit & spend a lot of time with my family. It’s been a hectic couple of years, so it’ll be nice to slow things down. But I don’t sit still very well. I enjoy writing and am evaluating a few opportunities there, which would be nice because I could work primarily from home.

Q: How do you want to be remembered as football player?

A: More than anything else, I just want everyone to know how appreciative I am of every opportunity that’s been afforded to me. From being a walk-on at Berkeley and having the chance to compete for a scholarship, to my experiences in Kansas City, Dallas, New Orleans, and Cleveland, I’m just very grateful.

Q: Where does the bounty scandal fit in your football legacy?

A: I don’t spend too much time thinking about that anymore. For a while it was something we had to deal with almost every single day, and you almost felt like you would never be able to move past it. But as I expected, over time most people realized how ridiculous the whole thing was, so I’m not overly concerned at this point about how it may affect my legacy, especially given how everything ultimately played out.

Q: On a scale of 1 to 100 you leave football with health at what number?

A: Probably about a 50 at this point, and hopefully that number climbs over time. I feel good about the fact that I’m able to walk away from this game on my own terms, pretty much in one piece.


Saints asked Fujita to retire as a member of the team | ProFootballTalk

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

Garry42

I hope this happens! Very classy move by the Saints. Fujita was an outstanding player in his prime.

jeanpierre

Class Act!




Though, I could never understand why we wouldn't overpay for Fujita - yet, we overpaid for Roman Harper and Will Smith?!?

Budsdrinker

We gave Harper and Smith big contracts while still in their prime, Fujita as much as I like him, hell I was one of the first people to wear a Fujita jersey to the games in 2006 was clearly at the end of his career when he signed with Cleveland. In his 3 years in Cleveland he never played the full year. His best game of course was against us.

skymike

gya, that game still ruins my mood sometimes. we lost to the Browns!

Danno

He could be the most over-rated LB we've ever had.

hagan714

back when he came to the saints he was nothing more than solid LB.

Simply a blue collar lunch pail guy much like site favorite Shanle ( ). love them hate them all they ever did was do their job and do it well enough to keep all comers from taking their starter job. Smart and gave 110%

being just a ball player some times is good enough

44Champs

Overrated? I think he did a pretty good job while he was here. Shanle's the ine that's overrated.

burningmetal

Had we offered him what the Browns did, he would have been the most OVERPAID LB we ever had. But to call him over rated makes no sense to me.

Nobody ever called him a super star. He's the most productive outside linebacker we've had since the days of Keith Mitchell and Charlie Clemons. Granted he wasn't nearly as productive as those two were in their best years, but then he wasn't really expected to be.

I'd love to have a dynamic, pass rushing OLB again, but if we have to settle for less glamorous type of players, I'll take what Fujita gave us any day over some of the slop we've had over the last decade.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, the NFL would fine and suspend me.

jeanpierre

LMAO

Thanks, needed a good laugh today...