The “R” word delivered a one-two punch to Penn State’s roster Wednesday.
In a tweet posted to his personal Twitter account Wednesday, Ryan Buchholz (pictured) abruptly announced that “it is time for me to retire.” The Penn State defensive lineman cited “multiple back surgeries and the inability to perform 100% at this level” as the reasons behind his decision.
“You only have one body and my health and future well-being is most important to me,” Buchholz wrote.
Buchholz, who was sidelined for three games last season because of injury, started six of the 23 games in which he played for the Nittany Lions in his career. All six of those starts came during this past season.
The redshirt junior had been penciled in as one of the starting ends for James Franklin‘s defense.
A few hours after Buchholz posted his social media missive, teammate Jordan Miner tweeted that he “was diagnosed with a heart problem that will have to put a hold on my football career.” Miner did not go into the specifics of the heart problem.
— Jordan Miner (@_Jordanminer) August 15, 2018
Miner was a four-star member of Penn State’s 2018 recruiting class. The Tampa, Fla., product was the highest-rated defensive back for the Nittany Lions in this past year’s class.
Miner is the second Penn State football player to be forced to retire from the sport this year due to a heart condition, joining fellow 2018 signee Nana Asiedu.
The health issue involving Asiedu’s heart was discovered by the Penn State physicians who conducted medical testing standard for all incoming Nittany Lions football players this past spring. According to both his mother and former high school coach, the diagnosis very likely saved the offensive lineman’s life.