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Alabama A&M's Jarren Williams walks away from football

Difficult circumstances lead to former 4-star standout Jarren Williams closing his football career.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Alabama A&M quarterback Jarren Williams has announced that he is retiring from football.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Williams detailed how prioritizing his “mental health and happiness” was what motivated him to make this decision.

“After my last concussion I slipped into another depression and I couldn’t shake how I was feeling inside,” said Williams.

He continued: “I started boxing myself in away from my friends, family and teammates unable to connect with anyone and being a leader of a team. I knew I couldn’t be this way.”

According to a study conducted by NCAA Sports Science Institute, 1 in 4 student-athletes report being exhausted from the mental demands of their sport.

In recent years, there have seen many athletes on the professional and collegiate level speak out about their struggles with mental health.

Williams’ story is yet another reminder that we must be mindful of how we speak about athletes at all levels and in all sports because we never know what they are going through away from their field of play. 

During his career at Miami (2018-2019), Williams accrued 2,204 yards passing, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His best performance in a Canes uniform came on Nov. 9, 2019 against Louisville. For the game, Williams went 15 of 22 for 253 yards and six passing touchdowns. His whopping 11.5 yards per pass attempt vehemently stands out as well.

Since leaving Miami, Williams has been at Garden City Community College in Kansas, as well as USF, and now he is at Alabama A&M where he was expected to compete for the starting quarterback position. 

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