Why this Texas A&M football DB suddenly retired from football

The Texas A&M football team did not have its best offensive season. The team’s offense had its moments, but when A&M played poorly, it was almost always due to a lack of production on that side of the ball.

Thankfully, Jimbo Fisher’s defense came ready to play virtually every week of the season. This Aggie defensive unit ranked 20th in yards allowed, finishing third in scoring defense behind Georgia and Clemson.

And at the heart of a strong defense, you’ll find this Aggie secondary, which ranked third in the country in yards allowed per attempt. Without a true star in the secondary, guys like Leon O’Neal, Jaylon Jones, and Tyreek Chappell came together to create a “No Fly Zone” in College Station. But one player got lost in the mix.

Texas A&M football DB Keldrick Carper has decided to hang up his cleats after years of injury struggles

Keldrick Carper was a part of the Aggies’ 2017 class, meaning he played a year under Kevin Sumlin before Jimbo Fisher’s arrival. The now-former Aggie safety committed all the way back in 2016, so he’s been around the program for a very long time.

Unfortunately, Carper could never fully become the player that he wanted to be due to incessant injuries throughout his career. Carper wrote a long note which he posted on Twitter about why he decided to leave. Here’s the first paragraph which explains the injury situation.

"“What a hell of a ride it’s been here at Texas A&M University. I know people have wondered why I haven’t been present most of this season. I suffered two concussions early on that caused me to miss a lot of time from the game and my teammates. This was crushing to me. I made attempts to get back on the field but it just wasn’t right nor did it feel safe. After much thought and length conversations with medical staff, my family, friends, coaches, and teammates, the decision that seemed the best for me was to call it quits with football. I have officially medically retired from football.”"

This should be a bittersweet situation for Carper, who was always a fan favorite during his time with the Aggies. While he was a great player on the field, his safety should always come first. He made the right choice.

This also means that Carper will not be playing in the Gator Bowl. This won’t have too much of an impact, as he missed most of the 2021 season with the aforementioned injuries.