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Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman A.Q. Shipley suffered a neck injury on "Monday Night Football" last week that could end his NFL career.
Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said in a radio interview that Shipley has been ruled out for the rest of the season and that doctors have advised the 34-year-old to retire. Shipley hasn't announced a decision one way or the other.
"He'll be going on IR (injured reserve) and starting his coaching career," Arians said about Shipley on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "He aspires to be a coach, and I think he's gonna be a great one, so we'll get him started to make sure he likes this life."
Shipley was a 7th-round draft pick out of Penn State in 2009. Against the odds, he put together an NFL career more than a decade long as an interior lineman, primarily at center, hanging around as a journeyman with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals and Buccaneers.
Shipley began the season as a backup for Tampa Bay, providing veteran leadership to the unit that's charged with protecting quarterback Tom Brady. Shipley had started the past two games after the Bucs' interior line suffered some injuries.
Shipley has a history of neck injuries dating back to at least 2013.
Arians and Shipley go all the way back to the beginning of Shipley's pro career. Arians was the Steelers' offensive coordinator when the team drafted Shipley. Arians was on the Colts' coaching staff when Shipley played there. Arians was the Cardinals' head coach for three years while Shipley played there.
If Shipley does go into coaching, Arians said he wants to give him a job.
Buccaneers face the defending champion Chiefs in Week 12
The Buccaneers have one of their biggest games of the season on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. The matchup between the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs and the NFC title contending Bucs could be a preview of this season's Super Bow. All eyes will be on the quarterback shootout between Brady and Kansas City star Patrick Mahomes.
Brady is a six-time Super Bowl champion, arguably the greatest QB in league history. Mahomes is arguably the best QB in the game today, the reigning Super Bowl MVP who just signed the largest contract in NFL history this past offseason.
