I think it’s safe to say this is a first in the annals of CFT.
In late December, back issues forced Tennessee offensive lineman Tanner Antonutti to medically retire from the sport of college football; two months later, teammate and a fellow UT lineman on that side of the ball, Chance Hall, was forced to do the same. In between, undisclosed health issues triggered a medical retirement for right tackle Devante Brooks as well.
Wednesday afternoon, unbelievably, yet another Vols lineman, Eric Crosby, took to Twitter to announce that, "[a]fter talking with Doctors, my mom, and myself, we have decided it is best to medically retire from playing football.”
Crosby, who will remain on scholarship but not count against the 85-man limit, added that he made the decision “to protect my lifelong health.”
Despite being a four-star 2017 signee, Crosby never played a down for the Volunteers.