Veteran Buffalo Bills lineman Retires

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) _ Buffalo Bills guard Jerry Ostroski, unable to fully recover from knee surgery, announced his retirement on Tuesday. <br><br>Ostroski, who was entering his ninth season and had

Tuesday, August 27th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) _ Buffalo Bills guard Jerry Ostroski, unable to fully recover from knee surgery, announced his retirement on Tuesday.

Ostroski, who was entering his ninth season and had been the longest serving member of the Bills, had spent all of training camp on the physically unable to perform list recovering from knee surgery. After breaking his right leg in August 2001, Ostroski returned to the Bills to start seven games last season.

``My mind and my heart still say to play, but my knee says 'No,''' said Ostroski. ``This has truly been a great ride.''

Signed to the Bills practice squad in 1993, Ostroski made his NFL debut a year later and eventually appeared in 106 games.