Michigan football quarterback Jack Tuttle has announced his sudden retirement

Michigan football quarterback Jack Tuttle has announced his retirement from the game.

The seventh-year quarterback announced on social media Monday night that he had played his final game after suffering the fifth concussion of his career. He thanked his teammates and coaches who have helped him along the way and assured the Mize and Blue faithful that he won't go far.

“Today, I am announcing my retirement from college football. This decision, although difficult, comes after deep thought and heartfelt conversations with my family, doctors and loved ones,” the post read in part. “I want to thank Coach Moore, the staff and my teammates – I love you all. I will continue to help Team 145 as we prepare for the rest of the season.

“While it is unfortunate to close this chapter, my passion for football will always be a part of me. I am committed to finding a different role in the game and plan to pursue a role in coaching.”

Tuttle played in seven games for the Wolverines over two years, completing 45 of 67 passes for 436 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Tuttle's injury history is known, but perhaps not as detailed as Tuttle described in his post. A four-star recruit in the 2018 class, Tuttle was listed as “out” on Michigan's availability report after playing the previous two games in Saturday's 24-17 win over Michigan State.

He then missed nearly the entire offseason as he worked his way back from an injury to his ulnar collateral ligament, which left him a non-factor in the quarterback competition, initially won by Davis Warren.

Still, Tuttle rehabbed his way back, and after Warren was benched for a turnover and Alex Orji pulled for inefficiency, head coach Sharon Moore turned to Tuttle as a substitute in a 27–17 loss to Washington.

He was cleared to practice by doctors just over a week ago and recently started throwing a football again. In his retirement post, Tuttle said it was because of the injury: Not only did he not fully recover from his arm ailment, but he also sustained another injury.

“This past year has been challenging, marked by a UCL repair in my throwing arm that I haven't fully recovered from, which has caused ongoing issues,” he said. “And unfortunately, the recent experience of sustaining my fifth concussion has brought to light the painful truth: that I need to start prioritizing my health.

“Throughout my college career, I have battled numerous injuries, culminating in this difficult choice to walk away from playing the sport I love.”

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Tuttle committed to Utah out of high school, but immediately transferred to Indiana after his freshman season. There, he spent four years as a career backup, primarily behind Michael Penix Jr. He started five games during his career in Bloomington, but was never known as “The Guy.”

He transferred to Ann Arbor for a sixth season in 2023, knowing he would serve as JJ McCarthy's backup. Not only did he win a national championship, but was cleared for a seventh year due to his medical redshirt, so he returned to Michigan to try and fight for a job, which never happened due to his UCL surgery.

He finished his career completing 149 of 249 passes (59.8%) for 1,337 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions. He had 118 rushing yards in 20 games.