"The knee can take no more ball" - Former Nevada star QB Carson Strong retires at 24 with a touching note

Former Nevada Wolfpack quarterback Carson Strong has retired from football at age 24.

Strong played at Nevada from 2018 until 2021 and started 30 games in his four-year career going 20-10. He threw for 9,379 yards, 74 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions, and declared for the 2022 NFL Draft.

After declaring for the draft, Strong went undrafted but signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. He ended up being waived and signed to the Arizona Cardinals practice squad for a week before being waived again. He then signed with the USFL, but after dealing with a knee injury, Strong took to X to announce his retirement from football:

"Announcing my retirement from playing football. First want to thank God for blessing me with a purpose and guiding me through the many ups and downs I’ve had as a football player. To all of my family, friends, teammates, coaches, doctors and athletic trainers, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish anything without your endless support."

"From missing my senior year of high school, getting golf carted to my classes in my last season at Nevada because I couldn’t walk after games, all of the 5 knee surgeries, shots, drainings and continuous rehab, I can hang up the cleats knowing I pushed my knee as far as I possibly could. I even played scout team QB for Nevada last season to prove to myself if I could go for another shot at playing or not. The knee can take no more ball."

Before his retirement, Strong played in four games in 2023 with the Michigan Panthers of the USFL and was 31-for-49 for 266 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

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Carson Strong will begin coaching career

After announcing his retirement from football, Carson Strong also announced he will now be working as a football coach:

"I’m super excited to start my coaching career working as the OC at Reno high and as a private QB coach in the Northern Nevada, Northern California areas. Been an absolute joy to play the game of football and I’m grateful for all of it."

Carson Strong has experience as a coach as he worked as a volunteer assistant at Colorado State before moving to an assistant coaching role at Nevada. He will now be an offensive coordinator in high school and could work his way back to college football as a coach.