Latest news with #BruMcCoy
Reuters
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Former Tennessee WR Bru McCoy medically retires
May 7 - Former Tennessee wide receiver Bru McCoy announced his retirement from football due to medical reasons. As a senior in 2024, he caught 39 passes for 472 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games for the Volunteers. McCoy returned to play last season following multiple surgeries to repair a dislocated and fractured ankle in 2023. "As many of you know I came back and played last year after what could've been a career ending injury," he posted Tuesday on the social media platform X. "I felt it was my responsibility to myself, coaches, family, and most important the community I have here in Knoxville to give back for all of the love that has been shown for me." McCoy played one season at Southern California before transferring to Tennessee. His career totals included 129 receptions for 1,592 yards and nine TDs in 35 games for the Trojans (2020) and Volunteers (2022-24). A five-star prospect out of Santa Ana, Calif., McCoy was ranked No. 10 nationally in the 2019 recruiting class by the 247Sports composite. "This has been one of the toughest decisions of my life, but after careful consideration with my doctors, family and people closest to me, I've come to the conclusion that it's the right path for my long-term health and well-being," McCoy posted. .".. Although this chapter in my football journey has come to an end, I believe this is just the beginning. I'm excited about the next steps, and I'm determined to continue pushing myself in new directions. This is not the end of my pursuit of greatness, just a new beginning."
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Tennessee wide receiver Bru McCoy announces medical retirement from football
Former five-star recruit and Tennessee receiver Bru McCoy announced his retirement from football on Tuesday. McCoy, who caught 39 passes for 472 yards with two touchdowns as a senior last season, announced his retirement is due to medical reasons. He reportedly told NFL teams not to select him in the 2025 draft, according to Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz. He was previously given a 6.0 prospect grade by analyst Lance Zierlein, a score which projected him as an "above average backup." Advertisement "As many of you know I came back and played last year after what could've been a career ending injury," McCoy wrote on social media. "I felt it was my responsibility to myself, coaches, family, and most important the community I have here in Knoxville to give back for all of the love that has been shown for me." McCoy suffered a fracture-dislocation in his ankle during the 2023 season that required four surgeries and 10 days in the hospital. He was the Vols' leading receiver with 17 receptions for 217 yards with a touchdown before the season-ending injury against South Carolina in the fifth game of the season. The 6-foot-2 receiver originally signed with USC out of Mater Dei High School, a powerhouse program where he was teammates with future Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young. He was the No. 9-ranked prospect and No. 1 athlete in 2019 recruiting class, according to 247Sports Composite rankings. Advertisement McCoy's best season came in 2022, when he caught 52 passes for 667 yards with four touchdowns. He notably had a 27-yard catch that season that set up Tennessee's game-winning field goal against Alabama. McCoy was one of six Tennessee players invited to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, along with Omarr Norman-Lott, James Pearce Jr., Elijah Simmons, Dylan Sampson and Dont'e Thornton Jr. REQUIRED READING: Projecting Tennessee football depth chart for 2025 season after spring transfer portal Simmons and McCoy were the lone players not selected. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Former Tennessee WR Bru McCoy announces medical retirement from football
Newsweek
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Former College Football WR Bru McCoy Suddenly Retires After NFL Draft
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former University of Southern California and University of Tennessee wide receiver Bru McCoy is medically retiring from football, he announced Tuesday on social media. "It's with a heavy heart but a feeling of gratitude that I share with you guys that I made the difficult decision to medically retire from football," McCoy wrote in a statement. "This has been one of the toughest decisions of my life, but after careful consideration with my doctors, family, and people closest to me I've come to the conclusion that it's the right path for my long-term health and well-being." More news: Jets Quarterback Suddenly Retires From NFL in Shocking Announcement McCoy initially committed to USC as a five-star recruit in the class of 2019. He graduated early from Mater Dei High School, where he was teammates with quarterback Bryce Young, also a USC commit who decommitted and flipped to the University of Alabama. After Kliff Kingsbury shockingly spurned USC to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, McCoy transferred to the University of Texas. He then left Texas and returned to USC. McCoy's injury issues began in 2019, when he took a redshirt season due to symptoms that were never diagnosed. In 2022, after transferring to Tennessee, McCoy played his first full season, appearing in 12 games and catching 52 passes for 667 yards and four touchdowns. However, in 2023, he played in just five games, suffering a season-ending displaced fracture of his right ankle. "As many of you know I came back and played last year after what could've been a career ending injury," McCoy continued in his statement. "I felt it was my responsibility to myself, coaches, family, and most importantly the community I have here in Knoxville to give back for all of the love that has been shown to me. I want to take a moment to sincerely thank each and every one of you who has supported me throughout my journey for it means more than you could ever know." In 2024, McCoy was back for a full season, playing 12 games and reeling in 39 receptions for 472 yards and two touchdowns. He was a captain for five games, and even attended the 2025 Senior Bowl. McCoy, now 24 years old, was among the top undrafted free agents, but Fox Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz said his not being drafted was by design. "My understanding is it was made known during the draft not to select him," Schultz wrote, "and now we know the reason why." GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - APRIL 24: Fans gather at the NFL Draft stage during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field on April 24, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - APRIL 24: Fans gather at the NFL Draft stage during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field on April 24, 2025 in Green Bay, for McCoy, he's looking forward to what's next in his life after football. "Although this chapter in my football journey has come to an end, I believe this is just the beginning," McCoy wrote. "I'm excited about the next steps, and I'm determined to continue pushing myself in new directions. This is not the end of my pursuit of greatness, just a new beginning." More news: Shedeur Sanders Makes Shocking Admission After Slipping to 5th Round of NFL Draft For more football news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
VFL Bru McCoy medically retires from football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Former Tennessee Football wide receiver Bru McCoy announced on his social media that he has medically retired from football. 'This has been one of the toughest decisions of my life, but after careful consideration with my doctors, family and people closest to me, I've come to the conclusion that it's the right path for my long-term health and well-being,' said McCoy on his post. McCoy suffered a fracture-dislocation of his right ankle versus South Carolina during his senior season, causing him to miss most of the season. Lady Vol Golf makes NCAA Championships for the first time since 2019 The wide receiver returned for his fifth year. He tallied 472 yards and two touchdowns during that season. 'As many of you know, I came back and played last year after what could've been a career-ending injury,' explained McCoy. 'I felt it was my responsibility to myself, coaches, family and most importantly the community I have here in Knoxville to give back for all of the love that has been shown to me.' The wide receiver racked up 1,356 yards and seven touchdowns in three seasons with the Vols. He tallied 472 yards and two touchdowns in his last season with Tennessee. Vol basketball assistant coach Rod Clark leaving Rocky Top for Indiana McCoy transferred from USC to Tennessee in 2022. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL teams are no longer shying away from older prospects in the draft
FILE - Tennessee wide receiver Bru McCoy (5) warms up before the start of an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams, File) FILE - Tennessee wide receiver Bru McCoy (5) warms up before the start of an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams, File) Bo Nix has already turned 25. Michael Penix Jr. will get there in May. Both quarterbacks were first-round picks last year. They were among 56 players age 24 or older drafted in 2024. That number was up from 54 in 2023, 44 in 2022, 16 in 2021 and 19 in 2020. Advertisement There have been more older prospects drafted in recent years because the COVID-19 pandemic gave players an option to stay in school an extra year. Even though the window is ending, the transfer portal and NIL deals might continue to keep some players in school longer. Teams used to shy away from older prospects. Scouts and general managers once considered the age of 24 a red flag in some cases. But the success of guys like Nix and Jayden Daniels, who turned 24 during an outstanding rookie season, shows that experience can help players make an immediate impact in the pros. 'I came from BYU, where kids go on missions for a couple years, and so people go: 'Well, they're too old,'' Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. 'Well, then they come in and they do a pretty good job. So, and really, if you start taking averages of careers, career length, there's maybe a cutoff somewhere, but the careers aren't very long as it is. But we do look at (age), though." Advertisement A majority of the older players selected in the draft last year were Day 3 picks, going in the sixth or seventh round. That indicates teams are more likely to overlook age later in the draft. 'It's just unique to where we're at right now in kind of the football world,' Raiders general manager John Spytek said. 'You got guys with sixth and seventh years really, and so you've got to talk about a value of are we going to have a problem with the 25- or 26-year-old? Some people have more problems with that. I'm just looking for good football players, and I'm trying to impress that upon our scouts, too. Let's just find good football players. We'll figure it out. So I will say it's been really hard on the area scouts. 'You go into these schools like Georgia and Michigan, Ohio State, and they've got a list of 30 guys that can potentially come out. ... I mean it used to just be like here's these 10 juniors, maybe half of them come out. Now it's like, you got a fourth-year, fifth-year senior, and he might take another year. So it adds a lot more names to it and uncertainty and a lot more work that has to get done in a finite amount of time. And that's why the scouts' jobs are so critical to go through all that in an efficient way and present the players the right way. We're relying on it. It's critical to every organization.' The number of older players drafted will decrease this season. There are 46 players age 23 or older who are draft eligible, including 17 who are 24 or older. Advertisement Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough, who turns 26 in September, was the oldest player at the scouting combine. He spent seven years at three colleges, including Oregon, where he backed up Justin Herbert in 2019, and Texas Tech. Tennessee wide receiver Bru McCoy, San Jose State wideout Nick Nash and Arkansas receiver Andrew Armstrong were among the 24-year-old draft prospects at the combine. Teams that stick to the old philosophy of avoiding older players limit their talent pool. 'I think sometimes you have to ask yourself, are you trying to get this guy for 12 years? If you're looking for that, it's a small percentage,' 49ers general manager John Lynch said. 'Or are you looking for one contract and then hopefully more? It's an interesting topic. It's one we constantly discuss. There are pluses and minuses to both sides. Having a young guy that you think you can develop and is already a good player, and then a guy who's a little more battle-tested ... bent through a little more. It's an interesting conversation.' Advertisement College experience is most valuable for quarterbacks. Nix and Daniels proved it last year when they led their teams to the playoffs. Meanwhile, Anthony Richardson threw just 393 passes in college before the Colts drafted him No. 4 overall in 2023. He has struggled to adjust at the NFL level. The oldest player ever selected in the draft was quarterback Chris Weinke. He was 28 years and 264 days old when the Panthers selected him in the fourth round of the 2000 draft. Weinke started just 20 games in the NFL, going 2-18. Quarterback Brandon Weeden was the oldest player ever drafted in the first round. He was 28 years and 195 days old when the Browns chose him 22nd overall in 2012. Weeden made 25 starts, going 6-19. Both Weinke and Weeden played minor-league baseball before college football. Depending on the position of a player and the round, age can be a determining factor when a team is choosing between two guys. Advertisement 'When two players are level, even, same grade, you start weighing what they have,' Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said about age. 'OK, he's a three-year starter and he's a four-year starter. Great leader, team captain, those little things give them a bump. It's not intentional but you talk through it and it shakes out that way.' ___ AP NFL:
