New York Jets quarterback Jordan Travis shocked the NFL world on by announcing his decision to retire, just a year after being drafted.
Travis has announced that his decision is the result of a devastating leg injury he suffered while in college. He spent last season trying to recover, but now it is medically retiring.
Jordan Travis Retires From Football After Just One Year in the NFL
The surprise news was announced by the Jets on Wednesday, April 30. Travis informed the team that he had been advised to retire on medical grounds due to the injury that prematurely ended his Florida State career.
“Jordan has informed us of his intent to retire due to the injury he sustained while at Florida State,” Jets GM Darren Mougey said in a statement. “It is unfortunate that he was unable to get back on the field after working so hard. We support his decision and wish him only the best.”
That injury didn’t stop him from being taken in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, though, nor did it stop him from finishing fifth in Heisman voting that year.
Unfortunately, the injury ended his NFL career before he could take his first snap. Travis’ agent, Deiric Jackson, previously blamed the Jets for Travis’ rehab struggles in 2024.
“They tried to rush him. It was too fast,” Jackson told ESPN.” There was pressure on the coaching staff and they tried to get him going sooner than the timeline really was. That caused the setback, and we had to shut him down completely.”
Whether the Jets were guilty of rushing their young quarterback to rush his rehab, his recovery has not gone as planned.
A once mobile quarterback, Travis would have been an intriguing understudy to new Jets quarterback Justin Fields. Travis rushed for 1,950 yards and 31 touchdowns in college; his mobility would have served him very well in today’s NFL.
Travis’ Statement
In a heartbreaking, hand-written statement, Travis acknowledged all those who had helped him on his journey, including teammates, coaches, family, and friends. The quarterback then reflected on the dramatic and tragic turn that his life and career took back in 2023.
“On November 18, 2023, my life took an unexpected turn. I gave everything I had to the rehab process but despite all my efforts, my leg never responded the way we hoped,” he wrote. “After much prayer and consultation with the doctors, medical experts and my agent, I’ve been medically advised to retire from the game I love so deeply.”
— Jordan Travis (@jordantrav13)
Travis’ story is a sad but familiar one to many former players, but the fact that he was so close to the NFL at the time of his injury makes it all the more tragic.
Travis never played a snap in the NFL, an incredibly sad reality that will no doubt stay with him. After so many NFL journeys began at the 2025 NFL Draft, Travis’ retirement is a sharp reminder of the cruel nature of the sport.
