Arizona Cardinals Tight End Travis Vokolek Retires Due to Neck Injury

The Arizona Cardinals suffered a significant loss with tight end Travis Vokolek announcing his retirement from football at 28. This decision followed a neck injury he sustained during a game with the Indianapolis Colts.

Vokolek was injured while blocking during a kickoff, resulting in him landing awkwardly after contacting a Colts player. He had to be taken off the field on a stretcher.

In a social media post, Vokolek shared that medical advice led to his retirement. “After numerous visits with doctors and neurologists over the past couple of months, I have been advised to medically retire from the NFL due to a serious neck injury that I suffered this past season,” he wrote. Vokolek expressed gratitude for achieving his dream of playing professional football, acknowledging the life lessons and memories the sport provided.

The 28-year-old also extended thanks to his teammates, coaches, trainers, and the Arizona Cardinals’ staff for their support during a challenging period.

Vokolek highlighted his wife’s unwavering support throughout his recovery process. “I have attacked every day of being a professional football player with passion, determination, and discipline,” he noted, adding, “I can say that I truly left everything out on the field.”

Before his professional career, Vokolek played college football at Rutgers and Nebraska. He joined the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2023 but didn’t play any games with them. He signed with the Cardinals in December 2023, seeing action in eight games, although he had limited involvement in their offense.