The hits just keep coming to the dangers of playing professional football (or football in general). Just as it appeared Baltimore Ravens linebacker Zach Orr was set to rise to stardom, his career appears over.
Orr has decided to call it quits on a career at the young age of 24. The Ravens confirmed that Orr is retiring due to a “congenital neck/spine condition.”
LB Zachary Orr has announced he is retiring from the NFL due to a congenital neck/spine condition. 😢
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 20, 2017
This after a season in which Orr went from fringe special teams player to a star linebacker.
He was just in talks over a contract extension and significant raise, but it appears a visit to the doctors has him walking away from the game.
Orr became a starting weak side linebacker for the Ravens this year, after starting out as a undrafted free agent and a special teams player. He played in 15 games this past season and was the Ravens leading tackler.
He missed the final game of this season with a neck injury and not over the fact that he had also suffered a cracked bone in his shoulder. That injury to his neck apparently showed signs of being a significant issue going forward.
It is a long-term issue that wasn’t caught in any previous physical, one that was likely exacerbated by the neck injury he sustained late this season. Orr clearly didn’t see this coming, even saying that he would be fine as he cleaned out his locker after the season ended for the Ravens.
“Right now, I’m feeling pretty good,” he said, via the Baltimore Sun. “I’m going to see doctors and stuff like that, but I’m feeling pretty good. I don’t think it will be anything that will slow me down.”
The injury has done more than slow him down clearly. It made his career come to a screeching halt actually.
Orr will finish his career with 162 tackles, 1.0 sack, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Most of which came from a breakout 2016 season in which he recorded 130 tackles, three interceptions, five passes defended, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
News like this just serves as a reminder of how truly dangerous and intoxicating the game of football can be. It has been said that Orr had a difficult time making this decision, despite the knowledge of what another neck injury could do to him.
