MKRob Sports

Longtime defensive coordinator for the Florida State Seminoles Mickey Andrews has decided to retire from coaching after 47 years of coaching.

The architect of some of the nation’s best defenses that helped Florida State win a pair of national titles in the 1990s, Andrews announced his decision Tuesday in a handwritten statement.

“This is my last year as a football coach at Florida State. It has been a wonderful experience. We have been blessed,” Andrews said. “I especially want to thank all the players who gave so much of themselves to make this program so successful through the years.”

“Because of a lot of speculation and questioning from friends, family and media, we decided to go ahead and do it now,” Andrews said. “It’s time to be about us, my family.”

A football star at Alabama under the coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, Andrews developed 18 first-round NFL draft picks during 26 seasons at Florida State beginning with cornerback Deion Sanders in 1989.

Since 1985, NFL teams have picked 73 defensive players developed by Andrews at Florida State. That list includes Peter Boulware, Derrick Brooks, Terrell Buckley, LeRoy Butler, Sam Cowart and Marvin Jones, who like Sanders all went on to star in the NFL.

With Andrews on his way out, will head coach Bobby Bowden decide to retire as well?