Former Vols star announces retirement from NFL

A former Tennessee football star has ended his NFL comeback campaign after just a week.

Jalen Hurd starred as a running back for the Vols from 2014-2016, ending his tenure as the sixth-leading rusher in Vols’ history. After the tumultuous Butch Jones era, Hurd transferred to Baylor where he played the 2018 season.

Hurd was then drafted as a wide receiver in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Unfortunately for Hurd, he would end up on injured reserve in each of his three seasons with the Niners. Hurd’s career in San Francisco ended without him ever seeing a regular season snap.

After being out of football during the 2022 season, Hurd signed on with the Patriots at the end of July. However, the former Tennessee star suffered another injury in practice and decided to hang up the cleats for good. Hurd announced his retirement just a week after signing with the Patriots.

Most Tennessee fans likely have a negative opinion of Hurd due to the way his tenure in Knoxville ended. However, it’s still sad to see a talented athlete essentially lose his career due to injury.