Michigan quarterback announces retirement after fifth concussion

Michigan Wolverines quarterback Jack Tuttle has announced his retirement from the sport.

The seventh-year quarterback took to social media Monday night to announce he’s played his final game after getting the fifth concussion of his career. He thanked his teammates and coaches who’ve helped him along the way and reassured the Maize and Blue faithful he won’t be going far.

‘Today, I am announcing my retirement from college football. This decision, though difficult, comes after deep reflection and heartfelt conversations with my family, doctors, and loved ones,’ the post reads in part. ‘I want to thank Coach Moore, the staff and my teammates – I love all of you guys. I will continue to help Team 145 as we prepare for the rest of the season.

‘Though closing this chapter is unfortunate, my passion for football will always be a part of me. I am committed to finding a different role in the game and plan to pursue a role in coaching.’

Tuttle appeared in two games this season with the Wolverines and started once in a 21-7 loss to Illinois. He completed 30 of 50 passes on the season for 306 yards and one touchdown and had four turnovers.

That’s after he missed nearly the entire offseason as he worked his way back from an injury to his ulnar collateral ligament, which left him a non-factor in the quarterback competition, initially won by Davis Warren.

Still, Tuttle rehabbed his way back and after Warren was benched for turnovers and Alex Orji pulled for inefficiency, head coach Sherrone Moore turned to Tuttle as a replacement in a 27-17 loss to Washington.

He’d just been cleared to practice by doctors the week prior and only started throwing a football again recently. In his retirement post, Tuttle stated that it’s because of the injuries: not only had he not completely come back from his arm ailment, but he sustained yet another concussion.

‘This past year has been challenging, marked by a UCL repair in my throwing arm that I didn’t fully recover from, which has caused ongoing issues,’ he said. ‘And unfortunately, the recent experience of enduring my fifth concussion has brought forth the painful truth: that I need to start prioritizing my health.

‘Throughout my college career, I’ve battled numerous injuries, culminating in this difficult choice to step away from playing the game that I love.’

Tuttle committed to Utah out of high school, but immediately transferred to Indiana after his freshman season. There, he spent four years as a career backup, largely behind Michael Penix Jr. He did start five games during his career in Bloomington, but was never named ‘the guy.’

He transferred to Ann Arbor for a sixth season in 2023, knowing he would serve as the backup to J.J. McCarthy. Not only did he win a national championship, but was cleared for a seventh year due to his medical redshirts, so he returned to Michigan to try and fight for the job, which never happened due to his UCL surgery.

His career ends having completed 149 of 249 passes (59.8%) for 1,337 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also had 118 rushing yards across 20 games played.

(This story has been updated with new details.)