Cardinals tight end Travis Vokolek retires at age 28 after suffering severe neck injury during 2025 season

The Arizona Cardinals’ roster took a immense deed connected Wednesday.

Cardinals choky extremity Travis Vokolek announced helium was retiring from the athletics astatine 28 aft helium suffered a cervix wounded during a crippled against the Indianapolis Colts. Vokolek was blocking during a kickoff and landed awkwardly aft hitting a Colts player. He needed to beryllium stretchered disconnected the field.

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Arizona Cardinals choky extremity Travis Vokolek (81) faces the Las Vegas Raiders during a preseason NFL crippled astatine State Farm Stadium successful Glendale, Ariz., connected Aug. 23, 2025. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

The 28-year-old said successful a station connected societal media helium was retiring from the athletics connected doctor’s advice.

"After galore visits with doctors and neurologists implicit the past mates of months, I person been advised to medically discontinue from the NFL owed to a superior cervix wounded that I suffered this past season," helium wrote successful a station connected societal media. "I americium highly grateful and blessed to person been capable to unrecorded retired my puerility imagination of playing shot astatine the highest level for the past 3 years. Football has taught maine galore beingness lessons and fixed maine unforgettable memories.

"I americium everlastingly grateful to each my teammates, coaches, trainers, and others who person supported my household and I on the way. A sincere convey you to the Arizona Cardinals grooming unit for being archetypal people with the attraction and enactment they provided my household and I during this hard time."

Arizona Cardinals choky extremity Travis Vokolek leaves the tract aft an wounded during a crippled against the Indianapolis Colts astatine Lucas Oil Stadium successful Indianapolis, Ind., connected Oct. 12, 2025. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

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He thanked his woman for being by his broadside the full clip arsenic helium tried to retrieve from the cervix injury.

"I person attacked mundane of being a nonrecreational shot subordinate with passion, determination, and discipline," helium added. "I tin accidental that I genuinely near everything retired connected the field. Thank you for each of the emotion and support. Lastly, convey you football!"

Vokolek played assemblage shot with Rutgers and Nebraska earlier deciding to crook pro. He initially joined the Baltimore Ravens arsenic an undrafted escaped cause successful 2023 but didn’t spot clip connected the tract with the team.

Arizona Cardinals choky extremity Travis Vokolek warms up earlier the crippled against the San Francisco 49ers astatine Levi's Stadium successful Santa Clara, Calif., connected Sept. 21, 2025. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

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In December 2023, helium signed with the Cardinals. He played 8 games for the Cardinals but was ne'er genuinely progressive successful the offense.