Will Grier Retires from NFL at Age 31

Quarterback Will Grier announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, ending a seven-year professional career spent primarily as a backup. The Carolina Panthers, the team that drafted him and with which he had recently signed, placed him on the reserve/retired list. Grier, 31, made the announcement via an Instagram post.

Grier's NFL journey was defined by perseverance and movement. Selected by the Panthers in the third round of the 2019 draft out of West Virginia, the Charlotte native saw his most significant action as a rookie. With starter Cam Newton injured and backup Kyle Allen struggling, Grier started the final two games of the 2019 season. In those contests, losses to the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints, he completed 28 of 52 passes for 228 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions. Those would prove to be the only regular-season games of his career.

After failing to make Carolina's initial roster ahead of the 2021 season, Grier embarked on a journeyman path. He was claimed off waivers by the Dallas Cowboys, where he spent the most time of any stop, serving as a third-string quarterback behind Dak Prescott. He subsequently had stints...