Arkansas freshman tight end Dax Courtney medically retires early from football

The Arkansas Razorbacks learned that one of their young talents on the field, Dax Courtney, will be forced to medically retire from the sport. The freshman tight end from De Witt shared his decision via social media, thanking everybody who supported him in his dream of playing for the Razorbacks.

Dax Courtney retires after injuries

“It’s with tears in my eyes that I announce I have been medically retired,” read Courtney’s official statement. “The sport I’ve put my heart into for 19 years is now over for me as a player. Football has been my life for as long as I can remember and will always be my number one story piece, but due to countless [injuries] I have sustained I have to start thinking about life after football.

“First and foremost I want to thank God for granting me the abilities to play this game and for giving me the opportunity to live my dream of being a Razorback.

“Secondly, I want to thank my dad for I know this hurts you just as bad as it hurts me, for my whole life this was the main thing we were able to have a strong bond through. You have put just as much if not more into my game than I have and I truly cannot tell you thank you enough.”

Courtney continued with thanking his family and girlfriend for their support during his recovery and difficult decision, before turning to thank the Arkansas program and fans for his time with the team.

“Thank you to the Razorback coaching staff for recruiting me here and doing everything y’all could to make sure I had a good career, I apologize for not being able to fulfill the goals we had set out to do. Thank you to Razorback nation for being the best/most supportive fanbase on the planet, and supporting me for the past 2 years.”

“I love football with all of my heart, but it’s time for a different route. I love you all.”

His announcement comes nearly two years after his commitment to the Razorbacks in 2020, where he shut down offers from several major schools to announce he would stay in his home area and play for Arkansas.

Courtney suffered multiple major injuries at the high school level, and never fully got underway as a Razorback as he continued his recovery. As a junior, he suffered a dislocated knee that forced him to miss time before suffering an ACL tear in the season-opener of his senior high school year.