Rice quarterback JT Daniels, a former top recruit who transferred three times in his college career, is retiring from football due to multiple concussions, he told ESPN on Friday. Daniels plans to pursue a coaching career, he added.
Daniels sustained a concussion against SMU on Nov. 4 and doctors advised him not to play again, per ESPN. The 23-year-old played in nine games this season, throwing for 2,443 yards and 21 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
“I’m definitely excited to get into coaching, that’s for sure,” Daniels said. “I loved playing. I always knew one day I’d coach. I didn’t think it would come this soon. But one day, I knew that’s what I was going to be doing.”
Daniels also had stints at USC, Georgia, and West Virginia.
A former star at famed Mater Dei High in Southern California, Daniels in 2018 became just the second true freshman to start at quarterback for USC in the season opener. He started 11 games that season but was limited to one game in 2019 after suffering a knee injury in Week 1. He began the 2021 season as Georgia’s starter, but missed time with injuries and eventually lost the starting job to Stetson Bennett, who led the Bulldogs to a national championship.
Over 41 college games, Daniels threw for 9,390 yards and 66 touchdowns.
What this means for Daniels
It puts an unexpected end to a winding college career that Daniels had hoped to take to the next level. When he arrived on the college scene in 2018 as a five-star quarterback recruit at USC, Daniels started immediately and appeared to have a bright future. But injuries disrupted his career at USC and Georgia, opening the door for other quarterbacks who eventually supplanted him.
After a one-year stop at West Virginia, Daniels finally found a great fit at Rice, which runs a pro-style offense that fit his skill set. He looked comfortable and had a career year, throwing a career high 21 touchdowns while helping the Owls get to six wins for the first time since 2014.
Daniels told The Athletic before this season that he intended for this to be his last college season and he hoped to carve out an NFL career. His coaches, past and present, were optimistic about his chances. It’s unfortunate that he won’t get that opportunity. — Sam Khan Jr., senior college football writer
What this means for Rice
The Owls have relied upon redshirt freshman A.J. Padgett in Daniels’ absence. Padgett started Rice’s last three games and is 2-1, throwing for 577 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions in that span and will be the likely starter for the Owls’ bowl game. Padgett started Rice’s bowl in 2022 so it won’t be unfamiliar territory for him. Behind Padgett will be true freshman Chase Jenkins, who finished Rice’s 36-31 loss to SMU in November when Daniels was knocked out of the game. — Khan
Required reading
(Photo: Scott Wachter / USA Today)
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