updated 7:02 p.m. ET May 23, 2007

LOS ANGELES - Keyshawn Johnson has caught the damn ball in the NFL for the last time.

Johnson, who played a great game and talked one as well during an 11-year career, retired Wednesday despite several offers to continue playing.

He’ll soon be expressing his strong opinions on ESPN.

“I wouldn’t trade my career for anyone’s,” Johnson said at a news conference on the University of Southern California campus, where he starred before the New York Jets made him the first overall selection in the 1996 draft.

“I’ve done everything I wanted to do in my career,” he said. “I just couldn’t find one thing that could drive me back to playing football. As I learned from Bill Parcells — the circus doesn’t stay in town very long.”

Johnson has agreed to a multiyear contract, and will appear on several ESPN telecasts, including pre-game shows on Sundays and Monday nights, and do some radio work as well.

“We’re still working on all the different platforms they want me to be a part of,” he said.

Johnson, who turns 35 in July, was released three weeks ago by the Carolina Panthers. He said at least a half-dozen teams offered him a new job.

“Those guys were terrific, from Lane Kiffin to Bill Belichick to Jeff Fisher,” Johnson said, referring to the coaches in Oakland, New England and Tennessee, respectively. “They all wanted me to play football for them. At the end of the day, it just didn’t fit into what I wanted to do now.”

Jerome Stanley, Johnson’s agent, said his client agreed to terms on what he called a substantial deal with ESPN.

“We’re very, very pleased,” Stanley said, adding that the Titans offered close to $8 million for two years, with most of the money guaranteed.

Fisher said Johnson informed him he was retiring Wednesday morning.

“He let me know that this decision had nothing to do with us and everything to do about him and his desire to move into the broadcasting business and leave his playing days behind,” Fisher said. “I’ve known Keyshawn for a long time and I am happy he is able to walk away on his own terms after a very successful career.”

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