North Carolina State quarterback Grayson McCall hung up his pads and helmet for good.
McCall announced he was retiring on Wednesday night in an Instagram post.
In the lengthy statement, McCall, 23, said the decision to end his football career stemmed from an injury “I cannot come back from” and added that he will continue to keep the game a part of his life by getting into coaching.
“Unfortunately, my dream has been cut just short. As you all know, I have battled injuries my whole career, but this is one that I cannot come back from,” McCall wrote. “I have done everything I can to continue, but this is where the good Lord has called me to serve in a different space. Brain specialists, my family, and I have come to the conclusion that it is in my best interest to hang the cleats up.”
McCall suffered two concussions this season at N.C. State, the first occurring on Sept. 14 against Louisiana Tech, which forced him to miss two games.
The second happened on Oct. 5 against Wake Forest in his first game back from the previous concussion, according to The News & Observer.
The QB didn’t slide while running with the ball and was hit hard enough that he lost both his mouthguard and helmet.
He had to be carted off the field.
It was the second consecutive season that the graduate transfer had his season cut short due to an injury.
In his final year at Coastal Carolina, McCall had his season end early after he took a helmet-to-helmet hit against Arkansas State and was diagnosed with a concussion after being taken to a local hospital.
McCall was one of college football’s most productive quarterbacks while playing at Coastal Carolina, where he threw for 10,005 yards and 88 touchdowns in five seasons.
This year he appeared in four games, completing 53 passes for 518 yards and three TDs.
“From Porter Ridge to Conway and this past year in Raleigh, this journey has been better than any dream I could’ve ever envisioned,” McCall wrote. “This game has taken me places I never thought I would go, and has shaped my family and I in ways I never imagined. I have made so many memories that will stay with me forever, and I am so grateful for that.”
He added: “I have no regrets throughout my career and that is something I can be proud of.”