"Inside the locker room, his former teammates dressed for practice and spoke in hushed tones, reflecting on the profound impact the player had on their lives.

Outside it, with his wife Heidi by his side, Tedy Bruschi walked down the dimly lit hallways of Gillette Stadium, into the sunset and away from football.

Bruschi, the inspirational linebacker who became a face of the Patriots franchise, decided 13 years was enough. After earning three Super Bowl rings, making one Pro Bowl and becoming an example to a community for returning to football following a stroke, he retired yesterday.

"Every player that's in that locker room (his) career is going to have a beginning, a middle and an end," Bruschi said in an emotional news conference. "Today is my end. And it's a celebration. I'm in a great place."

The only Patriot to play in all five Super Bowls under owner Robert Kraft, the fan favorite leaves a legacy that includes 1,134 tackles, 30 sacks and 12 interceptions in 189 regular-season games. He set the franchise mark with 22 playoff appearances, and the team had a 144-67 record when he played.

"Tedy embodies everything we want the Patriots brand to stand for," Kraft said. "A true iconic legend."

The praise was overwhelming.

"He always did the right thing," coach Bill Belichick said. "The perfect player."

Of his reputation as a gritty, often victorious competitor, Bruschi pointed the spotlight in one direction.

"But I didn't know how to win until Bill came in here," Bruschi said of Belichick. "Even though (your helmet) has a Patriot logo on it, do you think they're going to lay down? They're not. You still got to play, and he taught us that."

Bruschi led the team in tackles in 2006 and '07, but slipped to third with 75 last season. Never the biggest, strongest or fastest, his skills began to wane.

In 2009, he figured to back up inside linebackers Jerod Mayo and Gary Guyton. The realization came: He is 36 years old.

"You realize you're getting older," Bruschi said. "It would be harder if I wanted to hang on and go get that championship. Well, I've made sure during my years that I was giving it all then, so right now at this moment I could feel good about myself."

A rarity in today's sports world, Bruschi played his entire career wearing the same No. 54 Patriots jersey.

When he began, and Heidi was just his girlfriend, he looked at her and said, "I want to be the one that stays there the entire time.""