Kentucky Wildcat veteran offensive lineman Paul Rodriguez has announced his retirement from the team and football all together.
According to Rodriguez’s announcement, the retirement is related to a back and spinal injury. Rodriguez posted the news in a social media post.
“Due to a lower back and spinal injury I’ve unfortunately medically retired from the game of football,” Rodriguez wrote on social media. “I want to thank all the coaches and my teammates for the past three years.
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“There’s no place I’d rather be. It’s hard for me to walk away from the game I’ve been playing since I was a little kid but I believe everything happens for a reason!”
A 6-foot-5, 325-pound lineman from Mason (OH) Rodriguez was a three-star prospect in Kentucky’s 2021 recruiting class. The reserve offensive guard saw action in all 13 games last season as a part of the Wildcats’ special teams unit.
He initially planned on playing in his sixth season for one more year but ultimately decided to move on from the game of football. We wish him the best in whatever he does next.