Jordan Travis' NFL dream ends in tragedy as NY Jets QB retires

Jordan Travis’ NFL career is ending before it ever had the chance to truly begin. On Wednesday, the New York Jets quarterback informed the team of his intention to retire from football, marking a tragic and premature conclusion to one of the most promising college careers in recent memory.

The Jets selected Travis in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, hopeful that the Florida State star could recover from the devastating leg injury he suffered the previous November.

It was a gruesome, season-ending injury that derailed Florida State’s playoff bid and abruptly ended Travis’ Heisman campaign. The Jets remained optimistic that he could be ready for training camp last summer, but multiple setbacks in his recovery kept him off the field entirely in 2024. He never even practiced with the team.

While the Jets’ new regime hadn’t said much publicly in recent months, their ominous tone when discussing Travis seemed to indicate the situation was more serious than previously believed.

Now, with Travis stepping away from the game, the NFL has lost a talented and beloved player whose story deserved a different ending. There's no other way to frame this — it sucks.

NY Jets' QB Jordan Travis announces retirement from NFL

Travis officially announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday, releasing a handwritten note on social media that put into words the pain, perspective, and gratitude that have defined his journey.

"On November 18th, 2023, my life and career took an unexpected turn. I gave everything I had to the rehab process, but despite my efforts, my leg never responded the way we hoped... I have been medically advised to retire from the game I love so deeply."

Jordan Travis

Travis was one of college football’s best stories in 2023 before his injury, leading an undefeated Florida State team to the brink of a College Football Playoff berth. He threw for 2,755 yards and 20 touchdowns in just 11 games while adding seven more scores on the ground, showcasing his dual-threat ability and veteran poise.

A serious leg injury against North Alabama in November cut his season and FSU’s title hopes short. Still, the Jets saw enough to take a flier on him in the fifth round of the 2024 draft, viewing him as a developmental backup with legitimate long-term upside if he could get healthy.

That never happened. Travis never took the field in a single Jets practice, missing all of last season while recovering. The Jets were initially hopeful that Travis would be ready for 2025, but the tone shifted in recent months, with head coach Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey noticeably less committal about his future. Now, it’s clear why.

Complicating matters further was public criticism from Travis’ agent, Deiric Jackson, who earlier this offseason blamed the Jets for allegedly rushing his client’s recovery. Jackson claimed the team "tried to rush him" and suggested there was pressure on the coaching staff to accelerate Travis’ return.

The Jets denied those accusations, saying they strictly followed the recovery plan outlined by Travis’ surgeon, Dr. Robert Anderson. Regardless of what happened behind the scenes, the outcome remains deeply unfortunate.

We send our heartfelt best wishes to Jordan Travis and his loved ones as he begins his next chapter.

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