As it turns out, Matthew Baldwin‘s stay with TCU football was a relatively brief one.
Baldwin (pictured, No. 18) confirmed to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram this week that he has decided to give up the sport of football and walk away. Why? Injuries. “Couldn’t get out of the injury loop with back and knee,” the quarterback told the Star-Telegram in a text message.
The decision to essentially retire from football was born out of a meeting between Baldwin and TCU head football coach Gary Patterson earlier this month. Baldwin’s mother explained just what her son has been going through physically.Baldwin’s mother, Mindy, said it was a difficult decision for the family to make. At the end of the day, though, three knee surgeries and a nagging back injury forced Baldwin to move on from football.
“We thought this break would be the perfect chance to get his back well,” Mindy Baldwin said. “He did PT, various shots, a nerve ablation, but nothing has worked.
“We are all so heartbroken that Matthew won’t be suiting up this year, but we will be cheering those guys on.
Baldwin began his collegiate career at Ohio State as a four-star 2018 signee. The Austin, Tex., native was rated as the No. 12 pro-style quarterback in the country. He suffered a knee injury that sidelined him for the entire 2018 campaign, although he likely would’ve sat behind Dwayne Haskins and Tate Martell anyway.
Baldwin opted to transfer from Ohio State following the 2018 campaign, ultimately landing with TCU football. After having his initial appeal denied, Baldwin was granted an immediate-eligibility waiver by the NCAA that would’ve allowed him to play in 2019. However, he never played a down for the Horned Frogs.
It’s expected that Baldwin will remain at the university as a student. He’ll also remain on scholarship. He won’t, though, count against the 85-player scholarship limit for the program.