Cardinals TE Travis Vokolek Retires at 28 After Serious Neck Injury
Vokolek announced the medical retirement on Instagram, months after a scary collision in Indianapolis left him motionless on the turf.
Former Arizona Cardinals tight end Travis Vokolek announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday night because of a neck injury suffered last season. "After numerous visits with doctors and neurologists over the past couple of months, I have been advised to medically retire from the NFL due to a serious neck injury that I suffered this past season," Vokolek, 28, wrote in an Instagram post.
How was Travis Vokolek injured?
Vokolek was hurt during a touchback with 11:01 left in the first quarter of a 31-27 loss at Indianapolis on Oct. 12. He collided with Colts linebacker Segun Olubi and fell awkwardly to the turf, remaining motionless for several minutes while medical personnel stabilized his head and neck before he was placed on a stretcher and transported to an Indianapolis hospital. He did not play again this season.
Why is Vokolek retiring now?
Vokolek said months of follow-up visits with doctors and neurologists led to the recommendation that he medically retire rather than attempt a return. He did not detail the specific diagnosis in his announcement, but described the injury as serious enough that continuing to play was no longer advisable. The retirement closes out his NFL career at 28, with the Cardinals as his final team.
What does this mean for the Cardinals' tight end room?
Vokolek's exit removes a veteran option from Arizona's tight end depth chart heading into training camp, though he had already missed the balance of last season on injured reserve. The Cardinals will now sort through their existing group without him as camp opens, with no corresponding roster move announced yet in response to the retirement.
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: TE Travis Vokolek retires due to neck injury suffered last season
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