Tim Brown's 14,934 receiving yards ranks second all time behind Jerry Rice. John W. McDonough/SI
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The news barely rippled through the sports world last week, which is all Tim Brown needed to know about the appropriateness of his retirement. He didn't have to search for another shot at extending his career in the same way Jerry Rice has. He'd had 16 seasons as an eight-time Pro Bowl wide receiver with the Raiders, one forgettable year in Tampa Bay, and the odds of him finding any more happiness were dismal, at best. Brown was smart enough to understand that the only fate that awaited him by prolonging his career was one no star performer wants: irrelevance.

It was a wise move because Brown should leave the game in as smooth a manner as possible. He should give fans as much reason to remember the best days of his career, because I'm betting that most folks don't recognize how talented he really was. In my mind, Brown is easily the most overshadowed star receiver of the last 15 years. Few players could produce his numbers and have the announcement of their retirements generate so little fanfare.

Brown leaves the game with the third-highest number of receptions (1,094) and receiving touchdowns (100) in NFL history. He ranks second all-time in receiving yards (14,934), behind only Rice. Those are overwhelming numbers, evidence of the man's greatness. But unlike a Rice or a Cris Carter, Brown's career didn't produce the kind of great moments that remain etched in the memories of average fans. I covered him for four seasons and there aren't many that even come to my mind.

A big part of his problem was circumstance. Brown spent the early part of his career as a standout kick returner, who never caught more than 49 passes during his first five seasons. When he blossomed into a Pro Bowl receiver in 1994, the Raiders were well on their way to becoming the most dysfunctional franchise in sports. Everything he did during those years hardly mattered; his best games often came in defeat. Even when the Raiders developed into a championship-caliber team in the twilight of Brown's career, the football gods seemed determined to dim his thunder. It was during that time that Rice, the greatest receiver in NFL history, signed on with the Raiders in hopes of showcasing what skills he had left.

The sad part of all this is that many people never realized how masterful Brown was at his job. He was a crafty possession receiver, one who worked the middle of the field with the grace of a tap dancer. He'd slither into the slightest cracks in coverage, shake a little after the catch, and gain five or six more yards before hitting the turf. That's how Brown operated for most of his career, with nerve and guile as the underneath guy whom defenders rarely rattled.