Michigan QB Jack Tuttle retires from football, citing concussions – the second college QB to do so in less than a week

By Kevin Dotson, CNN

(CNN) — Michigan Wolverines quarterback Jack Tuttle announced his retirement from football Monday, citing concussions and other health concerns – the second college quarterback to make that decision in less than a week.

Tuttle, a sixth-year senior who played for four years with the Indiana Hoosiers before transferring to Michigan ahead of the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship season, explained his decision in a post on X. He wrote that the decision came after “deep reflection and heartfelt conversations with my family, doctors, and loved ones.”

“The past year has been challenging, marked by a UCL repair in my throwing arm that I didn’t fully recover from, which has caused ongoing issues,” Tuttle wrote.

“And unfortunately, the recent experience of enduring my fifth concussion has brought forth the painful truth: that I need to start prioritizing my health. Throughout my college career, I’ve battled numerous injuries, culminating in this difficult choice to step away from playing the game I love.”

The 25-year-old, who appeared in two games for the Wolverines this season, said he hopes to remain involved in the game of football as he pursues a career in coaching.

Last week, North Carolina State quarterback Grayson McCall made the same decision after suffering a concussion that he said he “cannot come back from.”

“As you all know I have battled injuries my whole career, but this is one that I cannot come back from,” McCall said in an Instagram post on October 23. “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.”

The retirement of multiple college quarterbacks due to concussions in the middle of the season places a spotlight on the dangers football players face. Football has long had a problem with concussions and some players have pledged to donate their brains to science upon their death so the effects of repeated concussions can be studied.

In the professional game, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returned on Sunday to the field after an extended period away from the game following yet another concussion. Tagovailoa resisted calls to retire, saying that he loved the game “to the death of me” and never thought about giving up the game after his latest head injury.

Tuttle, one of three starting quarterbacks that Michigan has used this year, having come in and played significant time against the University of Washington in a loss earlier this month. He started the school’s next game against the University of Illinois, which ended in a 21-7 defeat for the Wolverines.

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