Carolina Panthers left tackle Jordan Gross has expressed his belief that he has chosen the right time to step away from the game.

Gross announced his retirement on Tuesday, bringing an end to an 11-year stint with the team that saw him make a franchise-record 167 career starts.

The 33-year-old, who was chosen by the Panthers in the first round of the 2003 Draft, revealed that he wanted to leave on his own terms.

"I've played a lot of football here, and I've seen a lot of guys come and a lot of guys go," Gross told the team's official website.

"Sometimes it ends well for guys, and sometimes it is not the ending they were looking for. I knew that this was the time for me to step away - happy, healthy and thinking fondly about my experience."

Gross was a key part of the Panthers side that reached the Super Bowl in his rookie season, while his Pro Bowl appearance this year was the third time that he had been elected to the annual event.