David Garrard has confirmed that he is stepping away from the NFL after struggling with a swollen knee during off-season workouts with the New York Jets.

The quarterback underwent knee surgery last August, and found himself unable to compete for a place in the Jets' starting lineup.

The 35 year-old told NFL Radio: "I'd get four or five days of good work on it in, and then the next two days it is swollen and I have to do everything I can to get the swelling out.

"So I just kept thinking 'How am I going to compete for the starting job if every four days I've got to stop and have an ice bag on my knee while the guys are practising?'

"My knee just never really quite got back to, not to where it was before, but not even just well enough to, it was well enough to get out and run around and stuff, but it would still swell on me. I'm very blessed and very fortunate that I am able to walk away from the game without any real crazy injuries. The future is still bright."

Garrard also spent nine seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, as well as a brief spell with the Miami Dolphins last year.