Bru McCoy injury: What happened to the Tennessee WR that led to retirement at 24?

Former Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Bru McCoy announced his retirement on Tuesday. He is only 24 years old, but he decided to retire after a strong college career. This comes after he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the 2023 season. Although he was able to return in 2024, he made the decision on Tuesday to retire from playing football.

McCoy released a statement on X on Tuesday explaining his decision. He stated that he is retiring due to medical reasons:

"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.

"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."

He added:

"As many of you know I came back and played last year after what could've been a career ending injury. I felt it was my responsibility to myself, coaches, family, and most importantly he community I have here in Knoxville to give back for all of the love that has been shown to me."

McCoy then emphasized that while he is sad that this chapter of his life is ending, he is excited for what is to come:

"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."

Would Bru McCoy have been an NFL draft pick with his injury history?

Although it is impossible to rewrite history and give a definitive answer, it appears likely that Bru McCoy would have been an NFL draft pick. Even after his 2024 season, he was in the mix to be drafted. He was invited to the NFL Combine and drew attention from scouts.

However, after he went undrafted, insider Jordan Schultz reported that Bru McCoy had made it known to NFL teams not to select him as an undraft free agent. This was likely because McCoy knew that he was going to retire and was just waiting to make the decision.

It is a sad end to the career of a once-promising prospect. He was a five-star recruit when he initially committed to USC, but injuries derailed his career and forced him to retire.