Washington Commanders tight end Antonio Gandy-Golden has officially retired from professional football at the age of 22 to focus on his education, according to head coach Ron Rivera. Gandy-Golden spent his whole pro career in Washington after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
“What it sounded like in our conversation was that he just didn’t feel it anymore,” Rivera said. “And he was talking about going back to school and finishing his education and seeing what else is out there for him.”
Meanwhile, Gandy-Golden’s agent, Kyle Strongin, remained silent following his client’s departure from the team. According to Washington Post, he did not respond to any questions.
Gandy-Golden decided to retire after spending just two years in the league. He had one reception for three years in 10 games during his time with the Commanders.
Gandy-Golden captivated the NFL with his figure and athleticism. He is a 6-foot-4 guy with 223 pounds who can run 40 yards in 4.6-seconds. His other skills include acrobatic backflips. Apart from physicality, he is also graced with intelligence. He once solved a Rubik’s cube while answering questions in a TV interview.
Unfortunately, Gandy-Golden never found his foothold in the league. The 1998-born’s NFL career started with an injury to his hamstring, leaving him on the injured reserve in October of 2020. He was then listed back on the active roster in December of the same year.
He went back and forth between the practice squad and the active roster in 2021. Not long before the announcement, Gandy-Golden was working on his switch from wide receiver to tight end this offseason.
Rivera ‘a little surprised’
Rivera said that he saw a huge potential in Gandy-Golden. Therefore, his decision to retire at only 22 surprised Rivera.
“He was making some pretty good strides — and during OTAs and minicamp, he showed his ability,” Rivera said. “We felt this was a guy that could have been a matchup problem for some people. So a little surprised, but I love who he is as a young man. I want to wish him all the best as he goes back and starts the rest of his life.”
The Commanders now have five other tight ends to step in. With starter Logan Thomas continuing to rehab his ligament injury, John Bates and Cole Turner have taken the most first-team reps.
Thomas tore his left ACL on December 5 and underwent surgery on December 17. It takes at least ten months for him to get fully recovered.
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Apart from his ACL, Thomas also needed repair works on the MCL in his left knee and the lateral and medial meniscus.
“We never put a projection on it,” he said. “It’s supposed to be a 10-month recovery from the time I had surgery, which would put us somewhere around Week 4. But the way I feel and the type of person I am, the type of competitor I am, I’m shooting for Week 1.”
If the team keeps more than three tight ends, the competition will be between Sammis Reyes, Curtis Hodges, and Armani Rogers.