Cardinals' linebacker Kylie Fitts, who spent the past three seasons with the Arizona-based team, announced on Instagram his retirement from the NFL on Friday, AZ Central reported.
The 27-year-old Fitts said he was walking away because the number of concussions had made it unsafe for him to play.
"After 21 years of playing," Fitts writes, "football has come to an end for me. Due to too many concussions and the severity of my recent one, it is no longer safe for me to continue to play. I am so grateful for this game and everything it has taught and brought into my life. Thank you to all my coaches and teammates throughout my career. I am also so thankful for my family and wife who have supported me through all the up's and downs and special thank you to my dad."
"[He] spent countless hours, early mornings and late nights helping me reach my goal of always wanting to play in the NFL. I believe we were created beyond just playing the game. I know God has great plans for me and my family and I'm so excited for what he has in store for me next!"
In 2018 Fitts was the Bears' sixth-round pick. He made six games appearances for Chicago as a rookie before joining the Cardinals' practice squad in Sept. of 2019. He played three games with the Cardinals in 2019 but had his best year in 2020 with 13 games appearances, as well as one start.
Last year, Fitts had six in-game appearances for the Cardinals but missed the rest of the season after sustaining a concussion. In 2022 Fitts became an unrestricted free agent.
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