Win or lose in the Indoor Football League's United Bowl Saturday, the Sioux Falls Storm will be playing its' final game with defensive lineman Cory Johnsen. The franchise's all-time leader in quarterback sacks (64.5) has published an open letter announcing his retirement after 10 seasons:

Dear Storm Nation and Media Personnel,

I am proud to announce that the 2015 United Bowl Championship  on  July 11th will be my last and final game for the Sioux Falls Storm. For ten seasons you have put up with me, you have supported me, you have given me second chances that I probably did not deserve, you have given me a football career that my family and I can be proud of. Through way of the Storm I have developed life-long friendships, business relationships, met my beautiful wife, and hopefully I helped inspire our great Sioux Falls community to do more for each other.

The decision to retire was one that I have been planning since after the 2014 Season. I wanted one more season where I wasn’t plagued with injuries, I wanted to help lead men to another championship, and I wanted to be a part of something that is greater, has more importance, and significance then myself. The 2015 season answered all those requests. I was able to play 14 games this season, which is certainly more then Tryon and Riggs expected. I was able to be a captain and lead our team to another championship game, and through all the work Jim Loria, Tyler Pederson, Kurtiss Riggs, and Todd Tryon have done with fundraisers and benefits for people of our community, I was able to be a part of something much bigger then myself, and much more important than the Storm. The 2015 Sioux Falls Storm team has done more for the community of Sioux Falls than any other Storm team did in multiple seasons put together.

Being able to be a part of the 2015 season has been amazing. Sacks for Cash has hit an all-time high for the amount of money raised, I was able to break the Storm All-Time Sack Record, received 1st Team All IFL Honors, and most importantly going back to the United Bowl Championship game for the 9th time in my career, I couldn’t pick a better season to go out on.

10 seasons, who would have thought, just the other day (March 1st, 2006) I was packing my belongings up in St. Cloud, MN, loading it into a U-Haul with my dad, and getting ready to report to camp for the Sioux Falls Storm. Time flies when you’re having fun!

Thanks for all the support and the memories I will never forget,

Cory L. Johnsen

The Aberdeen native came to the Storm after playing high school football at Aberdeen Central and college football at St. Cloud State. He is a two-time All-Pro with the Storm and is currently fourth in the IFL in sacks this season.

The Storm plays in its' ninth championship game when they host the Nebraska Danger Saturday at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.

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