Matt Birk has said that he will miss playing with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

The centre will not be returning to the Ravens in 2013, having announced his retirement after 15 seasons in the NFL.

The 36-year-old told Sports Illustrated: "I will miss playing with Joe. Special guy. I really admire him, how he goes about his business.

"He doesn't get full of himself, doesn't buy into the hype, doesn't make the game too big. I wish I was that level-headed."

Birk moved to the Ravens in 2009, the season after the franchise drafted Flacco.

Written by
Sian Cowper