CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Panthers offensive tackle Jordan Gross is saying goodbye to the NFL after 11 seasons. The Panthers confirmed the three-time Pro Bowl left tackle will announce his retirement at a news conference on Wednesday at the stadium. "Jordan has been a great Panther and he will be missed," Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said Tuesday in a text message. Cam Newton agreed. The Pro Bowl quarterback said in a text message, "It was truly a pleasure to play with Jordan. He always had my back. He will be missed." Just wholl replace Gross at left tackle is uncertain. Gross, 33, was a first-round pick by Carolina in 2003 and started a franchise-record 167 games. He went to his third Pro Bowl this past season as an alternate. Gross contract had expired with the Panthers earlier this month, but there was still some question as to whether he might agree to return for one more season. He went on vacation with his family last week to Idaho to contemplate whether or not to retire. Gross told the teams website, Panthers.com, that it was the right time to step away. "Ive played a lot of football here, and Ive seen a lot of guys come and a lot of guys go," Gross told the website. "Sometimes it ends well for guys, and sometimes it is not the ending they were looking for." Gross said he didnt want to leave until the team was in good position for sustained success. He believes the team is there now. "There is good, young leadership, there are talented players, and there are guys that really want to work hard and want to win," Gross said. Former quarterback Jake Delhomme, who played with Gross from 2003-2009, called him the "ultimate professional." "He was a hell of a player, and a great gentleman," Delhomme said. "The thing is I dont believe he got the respect he deserved around the league." Delhomme said the 6-foot-4, 305-pound Gross was extremely athletic, humble and driven. "We he was a rookie in 2003, his initial thoughts heading into minicamp were Oh gosh, please dont (stink)," Delhomme said with a laugh. "That was the mentality he always took. It wasnt a fear, but it was a mentality of, hey, Ive got to be good every day. Thats how Jordan prepared every day." Panthers tight end Greg Olsen said he spoke to Gross recently and half-jokingly tried to convince him to return. But he said Gross already had his mind made up. "Hes such a great player and Im really happy for him," Olsen said. "When I talked to him, I know he feels good not only about his body of work and his career, but also the impact he had on this organization. He was always a stand-up guy. He has the respect of all of his teammates. Hes the type of guy you want if youre an NFL franchise." Gross joined the Panthers in 2003 and stepped right in as a starter, helping Carolina reach the Super Bowl as a rookie. However, Gross spent the next 10 years trying to get back, but the Panthers could never make it past the NFC championship game. Gross decision creates a void for the Panthers at left tackle. Bruce Campbell, Garry Williams and starting right tackle Byron Bell are potential replacements, but the team could look for help in free agency or the draft. The Panthers have the 28th pick in the draft. Olsen said it will be difficult to replace Gross after the Panthers went 12-4 this past season, but said young players will have to step up. "Jordan has been top notch for his whole career," Olsen said. "Hes tough to lose. But every year it happens around the league -- you lose players to retirement or injury. You have to move on and fill that role." Wide receiver Steve Smith is the only remaining player from Carolinas Super Bowl team in 2003 that lost 32-29 to the New England Patriots on a last-second field goal by Adam Vinatieri. Gross current and former teammates immediately took to Twitter to comment on the news. Said Smith: "Since 1999 until 2day (at)J2theGross and I have been in same huddle. Today its has stopped I salute JG, great player better man!!! Love ya." Said Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson: "One of the best to ever play in a panther jersey. I wish he would stay but you gotta do what u gotta." Offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz, a former teammate of Gross with the Panthers, wrote that Gross "was an outstanding mentor and Im so thankful he decided to help me when I was a young naive rookie." Isaiah Crowell Jersey . - Rookie Kyle Larson will start from the pole position Saturday night in the NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway after a thunderstorm arrived just in time to wash out qualifying. Nate Orchard Jersey .C. -- After turning Tobacco Road into "Raleigh Top," Tennessee is headed to the round of 16. http://www.brownsauthenticproshop.com/Y ... ns-Jersey/. -- Mississippi State was crushed twice by Florida last season, once by 35 points and the other by 25. Jamar Taylor Jersey . Pospisil, the seventh seed, saved match points in each of the last two sets before falling to the unseeded Dutchman. "I wasnt very happy with the way I was playing,"said Pospisil. Joe Schobert Jersey . Louis Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia will have surgery on his left shoulder this week and is expected to miss the rest of the season.Trailblazing teenage T36 long-jumper Ryan Raghoo hopes his record-breaking achievements can help pave the way for the next generation of disability athletes. The Brunel University student, who has cerebral palsy, broke the British record at the Queensland Open Championships and now looks set to travel to Rio and become the nations first T36 Paralympic long-jumper.He told Sky Sports: Its a privileged position to be in and I am very grateful to have reached a level in the sport and be the first person in British history to do that. However, its a position Im not going to be complacent about. For me, its about the platform once I get there of what I can do to change things for people with disabilities.I try to promote and get more people involved in disability sports and thats one of the reasons why I compete. I want to show people it doesnt matter what background you come from, what disability you have, or what start in life youve had, you can still achieve things.Its the same message Ive been pushing throughout my career and I hope more organisations come on board to help support the message of enabled, not disabled, and to empower people with disabilities. Ryan only began walking as a four-year-old Raghoo proved his performance at Queensland was no fluke by achieving the Rio Paralympics qualifying standard again at a meeting in Talence, France, in April. He jumped five centimetres short of his own British record of 4.61m set in February, making him a virtual certainty to be selected for next months European Championships.Im probably my own worst critic and to be fair, I was quite frustrated despite breaking the British record because I know I can jump a lot further, the 19-year-old said.The British record is just a steepping stone to bigger things and when I started out, I was looking at that record as the first marker on the road to some great things the summer, so it was nice to achieve.dddddddddddd Raghoo looking to use Europeans as stepping stone to Rio When I jumped the British record, it also qualified me for the European Championships as well [which no other British athlete has ever done] and I aim to use the Europeans as an opportunity to build for Rio.But I also think I dont feel as excited about it as perhaps I should, because Para-athletes get very little recognition, if any, for breaking national records. Maybe its something Ill be able to enjoy when I look back on my career but it was a good marker to put down.Croydon-based Raghoos mother is from India and his father is Guyanese with Indian ancestery. Doctors told Ryans parents he may never be able to walk. There are very few ethnic minorities in Paralympic sports, which is one of the reasons why I am so driven to succeed, added the self-funded athlete.Im often asked who my role models were but there was no-one to really look up to from my background. i remember when Amir Khan came through and that was major for the Asian community because we dont have too many superstars on that level.Id certainly like to be able to become a role model but Im the first to say that Im still learning. When I speak to people - and I speak to children a lot - they always seek to take something away from my story, so in many ways my journey is an opportunity for me to inspire people. 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