Former Southeast Missouri State lineman Dan Connolly retires from NFL

Former Southeast Missouri State offensive lineman and Super Bowl Champion Dan Connolly announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday.

Connolly, who was inducted into the Southeast Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013, was with the New England Patriots for the past eight seasons and was a captain on this year's Super Bowl XLIX championship team.

He was undrafted in 2005 after starting four seasons at Southeast before he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars the same year. He was a four-time second-team all-Ohio Valley Conference selection at Southeast and made 46 straight starts to conclude his career. He graduated from Southeast in 2010.

He joined the Patriots in 2007 and worked his way up to starting on the offensive line in 2010. He played left guard, right guard and center during his time withe Patriots.

Connolly told ESPN that his decision to retire was due to health concerns as he'd had four diagnosed concussions during his 10 years in the NFL, including one in 2014, and one when he played at Marquette High School in Chesterfield, Missouri.

Connolly concludes his career with an NFL record 71-yard kickoff return -- the longest ever by an offensive lineman -- from a 2010 game against the Green Bay Packers, and a Super Bowl ring.