After 15 seasons in the National Football League, longtime Tennessee Titans punter Brett Kern announced his retirement from the league on Thursday.

The Grand Island, NY native spent most of his career in Nashville after he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Denver Broncos in 2008.

“It's been hard,” Kern said about putting the game behind him, according to Jim Wyatt of Tennesseetitans.com. “It's also brought back a lot of memories, too. You want to be able to thank a ton of people who helped you over the years, and all the memories from games, from teammates and coaches, conversations in the locker rooms, and road trips.”

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Kern opened up to Wyatt about how difficult it was to write his retirement speech after a decade and a half of playing professional football.

“It's hard to come up with the words, and the amount of thankfulness that I have for so much. I am so thankful I was able to be here, and to be able to raise my family here and to play for an organization for so long. I am extremely grateful for everything I was able to experience, and to be able to represent the organization. It's been a blessing.”

Kern spent 22 games in Denver before being released and claimed by the Titans midway through the 2009 campaign.

“When I came to Tennessee, I had just been [released],” Kern said. “I was confused, angry, kind of all the emotions. But at the same time, I was extremely thankful. I was getting another chance, and to be able to come to the Titans, it was a great opportunity.”

The 37-year-old took full advantage of it, appearing in 223 regular season games and recording 1,006 punts for 46,136 yards, per Wyatt.

He was named to three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2017 to 2019 and earned first team Associated Press All-Pro honors for the first time in 2019, being named a two-time captain in 2020 and 2021.

Brett Kern finished his career with the Titans as the team's all-time career leader in punts, gross punting average and net punting average, and will long be remembered for his contributions to the franchise.