He is still waiting for more information about his ailing neck, so his quandary will linger into the winter. But as the Washington Redskins' longtime left tackle contemplates his career and what awaits him after it, he has found a peace that will ease his transition whenever he decides to retire.

"At this point, I haven't started to put my career in the past tense," Samuels said yesterday at the team's annual Thanksgiving charity event at FedEx Field. "I'm still optimistic about playing again. But one thing about it, I'm not fearful."

Samuels, 32, is considering retirement because he suffered a serious neck injury during the Redskins' loss against Carolina on Oct. 11. Carolina defensive end Tyler Brayton bull-rushed Samuels on the fourth play of the game, and the two knocked heads. The collision seemed innocuous, the type that occurs hundreds of times in NFL stadiums each week.

But Samuels dropped to the ground as his body went numb. The head-to-head contact snapped his head back, and that was injurious because of his longstanding spinal stenosis. He described that condition as two or three discs in his neck that grew too tightly around his spinal cord. When his head snapped back, some nerves were pinched.

"I knew it was bad even though I've been through it before," Samuels said. "Anytime you get hit and everything kind of goes numb on you, it's pretty serious. Once I saw the doctors, they told me it was pretty serious, as well."

So now Samuels waits. The Redskins ended his season by placing him on injured reserve, and he has been relegated to a cheerleader role while his fellow linemen have struggled without him.

In the meantime, the considerable tingling and numbness that plagued him for three weeks after the hit have subsided. Now he experiences only rare tingling sensations. Doctors will re-evaluate him this winter and opine whether he can safely continue playing.

"I'm definitely optimistic about it," Samuels said. "Definitely health is first. Whatever the doctor says, I'll definitely use that in making a great decision."

Samuels has plenty of time, then, to weigh his options. They can be difficult to consider because each involves a tradeoff and some sacrifice or risk.

"When he got hurt, he was playing at a high level," veteran defensive end Phillip Daniels said. "It has to be tough on him to have it taken away like that.

"He has to think about his life and what he will be able to do afterward. He can easily be paralyzed with the injury he has. One wrong hit and he's done. I really think he should analyze that thing. There are a lot more important things than football, especially when it comes to your health and your strength."

Daniels, at age 36, also has faced the inevitable reality of retirement. He came back from reconstructive knee surgery this season, determined to continue his career for as long as an NFL team wants him.

His injury wasn't as serious as Samuels' is, but he developed a perspective about walking away from the game.

"This is a game we love to play," Daniels said. "You have to think about the brotherhood and the friendships that we make being around the guys.

"Now for 1/8Chris 3/8, for this to come at him, all of a sudden he has to make some decisions about what he wants to do after football. Does he want to coach? He's pretty much financially stable. He just has to figure out what's his next step."

Samuels sees the big picture, too. He can distance himself from the raw emotions involved.

Retirement is close enough to reality that he knows how he wants the final act to play out if he can't get back on the field. There would be a formal news conference, something worthy of his six Pro Bowls and 10 seasons of service to the Redskins.

He's not willing to accept that just yet, but he's capable.

"Right now, my spirits are high," Samuels said. "Some people are even amazed at how I'm still going around smiling and joking and being my normal self. But football, I've made a good living doing it. I enjoy it. I love it, but it's not who I am. It's just a job. At the end of the day, whichever decision I have to make, I'm going to be fine."

Post your comments » Round 2: Snow expected to fall today, Wednesday Fast on the heels of the largest 24-hour snowfall to hit the Frederick County since 1983, meteorologists are predicting another round of heavy snow and wind to hit today. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning Monday afternoon for the area, including Frederick County, and said 10 to 20 inches of snow is possible by Wednesday night. Weather-related closings, delays A list follows of weather-related closings and cancellations for this week. Fire and police blotter Police search for robber School closures cause makeup schedule revision Even though Frederick County Public Schools are closed today -- using the sixth snow day this school year -- the school system will not hold school on the Monday Presidents Day holiday as the first scheduled snow makeup day. Crowds pay respect to fallen marine Even U.S. Marines couldn't hold back tears Monday at the viewing of their colleague, Sgt. David Smith. The procession to the Frederick Christian Fellowship Church was led by Frederick County Sheriff's deputies. Dressed in full military regalia, Marines carried Smith's casket into the church followed by family members as more Marines stood at attention.