North Carolina State quarterback Grayson McCall said Wednesday night that he is retiring from football after his latest head injury.
McCall sustained two concussions this season and hasn’t played since being carted off the field against Wake Forest on Oct. 5. His helmet flew off from the hit and he was briefly unconscious before taken to a hospital for evaluation. He was released later that night.
Last season, while playing for Coastal Carolina, McCall sustained a season-ending concussion in an Oct. 21 game at Arkansas State. On that occasion, he was taken off the field via ambulance and hospitalized overnight.
“Unfortunately, my dream has been cut just short,” McCall wrote on Instagram. “As you all know, I have battled injuries my whole career, but this is one that I cannot come back from.
“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 was a three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year at Coastal Carolina before transferring to the Wolfpack after last season.
He passed for 518 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in four games for NC State. McCall sustained his first concussion of this season against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 14 and missed two games before returning against Wake Forest.
Overall, McCall passed for 10,523 yards and 91 touchdowns against just 16 interceptions in 46 games over parts of six college seasons. He completed 69.6 percent of his passes and is the most decorated player in Coastal Carolina history.
“Every time my feet hit the grass, I left every single ounce of myself on that field,” McCall said. “I always played my hardest and to the best of my ability because I never knew what play would be my last. I have no regrets throughout my career and that is something I can be proud of.”
McCall will remain an active player with the team for the rest of the season. The Wolfpack (4-4, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) are next in action against visiting Stanford on Nov. 2.
