Culpepper has self to blame

Daunte Culpepper made a huge mistake Thursday morning when he sat down, typed out his 508-word retirement announcement and e-mailed it to numerous media outlets, including the Star Tribune. It was the latest and probably last mistake he'll make while acting as his own agent.

With a quality agent, the former Vikings quarterback would be in Green Bay backing up Aaron Rodgers. Or in Pittsburgh backing up Ben Roethlisberger. Or maybe even starting in a league that starts guys like J.T. O'Sullivan and Kyle Orton.

The Packers offered Culpepper a one-year, $1 million backup job in April. The Steelers offered him the veteran's minimum ($730,000) last month after losing backup Charlie Batch for the season. In an e-mail to the Star Tribune last month, Culpepper explained that he turned down both offers because they were below the market value he set for himself. He also said he didn't like that Pittsburgh wasn't offering a roster guarantee.

Byron Leftwich, a former first-round draft pick like Culpepper, took the Steelers' offer and became Roethlisberger's backup for the season when Batch was placed on injured reserve. Word out of Pittsburgh is Culpepper had a better workout than Leftwich. But Leftwich has an agent who convinced him to take the best deal, rebuild some credibility and live to negotiate another day.

In Thursday's e-mail, Culpepper steadfastly defends his decision to represent himself the past three years. He also suggests the league is holding that against him. Culpepper contacted 14 teams this offseason and 12 of them, including the Vikings, were not interested.

"It seems that the stance I took in both Minnesota and Miami regarding my rights as a person and player has followed me into free agency," Culpepper said. " ... Since I was not given a fair chance to come in and compete for a job, I would rather move on and win in other arenas of life."

Culpepper's idea of "fair" is clouded by his highly competitive nature. That's why he doesn't make a good agent. In turning down the Packers and Steelers, he walked away from what any agent would consider fair offers for a damaged player. Culpepper, after all, has played only 11 of 42 possible games -- and struggled in most of them -- since tearing three ligaments in his right knee in a Vikings loss at Carolina in 2005.

What has happened is a shame. Culpepper is only 31, which is still young for a quarterback. His knee is finally healthy again. His arm is still strong and accurate. And he has the experience of playing nine seasons for three teams (Vikings, Dolphins and Raiders), making it to three Pro Bowls and throwing for 22,422 yards and 142 touchdowns.

Culpepper the Player could have been one heck of a comeback story over the next few years. Unfortunately, Culpepper the Agent failed him with the Vikings in 2006, again this offseason and then for maybe the last time on Thursday.