Free agent Johnny Knox has decided to retire from football, telling the Chicago Sun-Times he's "moving on and going forward." It's a sad end to a once promising career. According to the Sun-Times, Knox is still walking with a limp 14 months after his spinal fusion operation, and "struggles to sit or stand" comfortably. "I was centimeters away from being paralyzed, so just sitting here and talking, I'm appreciative of that," Knox said Wednesday. "Just the hard work that I had to put in. Just to be able to stay in and do everything in my daily life that I used to do." Only 26 years old, the former fifth-round pick ends his career with 133 catches for 2,214 yards and 12 touchdowns over 45 games.

Multiple sources tell the Chicago Tribune that free agent Johnny Knox is "unlikely to play again."

Free agent Johnny Knox's agent says he plans to play in 2013. "He's going with the mindset that he's playing in 2013," Knox's agent said. Knox is still recovering from the spinal fusion operation he underwent in December 2011, and has an "important physical assessment in late March." Knox is easy to root for, but is facing long odds of returning to the football field in 2013.

The Bears officially terminated the contract of WR Johnny Knox Tuesday.

ESPN Chicago confirms that Bears WR Johnny Knox will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. We read in-season speculation that Knox's salary would "toll" to 2013 because he spent 2012 on PUP, but that won't happen. After missing all of 2012 with a fractured vertebrae in his back, Knox's health status is the biggest concern for his market appeal. The 26-year-old is a quality deep threat when healthy.

Johnny Knox (back) is not expected to be activated off the PUP list by Tuesday's deadline. Knox is slowly making process from last December's surgery to repair fractured vertebrae. He's in the final year of a his rookie contract, but a provision in the new CBA allows teams to retain the rights of their players that spend the entire year on PUP. Therefore, the Bears could bring Knox back next season for $1.26 million and give him a chance to prove his health.

Johnny Knox (PUP, back) remains unlikely to play this season. Knox lost 30 pounds following surgery to repair fractured vertebrae last December. He's slowly working his way back into shape, but playing football is a whole other story. Knox would do well just to be ready for 2013 training camp.

Johnny Knox (PUP, back) reiterated Friday that he's unsure whether he'll be activated by the Bears this season. We're not optimistic. "I haven't heard," Knox said. "The last thing I heard was that I was going on PUP back in training camp. That's the last thing I heard." Knox says he's upped his rehab from surgery to repair a fractured vertebrae "here and there," but doesn't appear to be making tremendous strides. "I'm out there running, moving a little bit better," said Knox. "But not too much different from the last time we talked.

Bears placed WR Johnny Knox (neck) on reserve/PUP. He's ineligible to play in the first six regular season games, and the reporters in Chicago don't expect Knox to return at all this year. While Knox has made steady progress from spinal fusion surgery, the extensive rehab and recovery probably won't allow him to be ready until 2013.

Johnny Knox (back surgery) opened Bears camp on the active/PUP list. Knox will assuredly stay on PUP into the regular season, disqualifying him for the first six games. We'd be a bit surprised if he played at all this year.