The football world got quite the surprise on Wednesday afternoon when former college football star and active NFL quarterback Will Grier announced his retirement from football at age 31.
Grier never truly found his footing at the NFL level after the Carolina Panthers selected him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
He rejoined Carolina this offseason but ultimately decided ahead of training camp later this month that he no longer wanted to continue playing.
Outside of his time with the Panthers, Grier made brief stops with the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, and Los Angeles Chargers.
Grier’s College Career
While Grier’s NFL career may not be remembered fondly, his collegiate career certainly will be, especially in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Grier began his college career with the Florida Gators before eventually transferring to West Virginia, where he spent three seasons, including one year on the sidelines due to transfer regulations.
During that span, he threw for a remarkable 7,354 passing yards, 71 touchdowns, and just 20 interceptions. In 2018, he finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting, tying Steve Slaton (2006) for the highest finish by a WVU player since 1989, when Major Harris finished third.
In 2017, Grier earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors before a season-ending hand injury cut his year short. He threw 34 passing touchdowns that season, the second-most by a WVU quarterback in a single season, while his 3,490 passing yards rank No. 4 in program history for a single season.
Will Grier has retired from football
Congratulations legend, we miss you in the Gold and Blue 💙💛 pic.twitter.com/OtEDIoEAXn
— WVU Barstool (@WVUBarstool) July 15, 2026
Grier’s Family
Grier is one of four children and was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, making his career come full circle after beginning and ending his NFL journey with the Panthers.
He married Jeanne Marie Grier, whom he met during his early college days at Florida. The couple has two daughters together.
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