Cam Rising: Why is Cam Rising retiring? Exploring reasons behind Utah QB's heartbreaking decision

When healthy, former Utah Utes quarterback Cam Rising was a strong leader and one of the top quarterbacks in the Pac-12 in 2022. Unfortunately for the school's sixth all-time leader in passing yards, injuries would define his shortened football career rather than his stellar play on the field.

On Wednesday, Rising announced his medical retirement after a season-ending injury last year, which ultimately ended his career. Rising appeared in just three games for the Utes, but led his squad to a 2-0 start to the year before his injury.

Utah felt Rising's absence, losing seven of their next eight games following his injury, including an attempt from the starter return versus Arizona State.

It's an unfortunate end to an otherwise promising career that saw Rising lead the Utes to back-to-back Rose Bowl appearances, along with back-to-back 10-win seasons for just the third time in program history. Here is a look at why Rising was forced to retire before suiting up professionally, with a detailed look at his injury history.

Why is Cam Rising retiring?

Cam Rising announced his retirement from football following a hand injury that ended his 2024 campaign. The injury occurred during Utah's matchup versus Baylor during the second week of the season in his throwing hand.

Rising took to social media to announce his retirement, sharing details of his journey since the end of the season.

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"Due to a hand injury I suffered during the Baylor game, I've been advised by two orthopedic physicians that I will never be able to return to playing football. I'll be obtaining a third medical opinion and will undergo the recommended surgery. I will continue to rehab and do all I can to get healthy," Rising wrote in his retirement announcement.

Previously, Rising suffered a torn ACL, MCL, meniscus and MPFL during the Rose Bowl game following the 2022 season. His injury forced him to miss the entire 2023 campaign before his return in 2024.

Before his hand injury, NFL scouts felt Rising had the opportunity to be a late-round pick with a successful 2024 campaign. He appeared in 30 games playing for the Utes, throwing for 6,127 yards and 53 touchdowns with 17 interceptions.

He led Utah to back-to-back Pac-12 championship victories in 2021 and 2022, the lone Pac-12 titles in program history.

About the author

Ethen Hutton is an analyst who works for Sportskeeda, covering College Football, the NFL, the NBA and the WNBA. Ethen graduated high school with academic and athletic honors and is a member of the National High School Honors Society. After a gap year, Ethen jumped into sports writing and has over two years of experience in the field.

Ethen was raised in Ohio and is a Cleveland Cavaliers fan. His favorite all-time player is Pete Maravich as his shooting and ball-handling abilities were way ahead of his time. His favorite player in today’s NBA is Nikola Jokic due to his fascinating skillset as a big man.

Ethen loves the storylines around the NBA and the chaos that the offseason and trade deadlines bring. He enjoys technical deep dives with strong statistical analysis as well as stories where he's able to take a stance as an analyst. He is very prideful in the correctness of his work and will do extensive research to ensure all facts and evidence are 100% accurate.

When not working, Ethen enjoys recording his sports podcast, Wide Right. He is also a very invested fantasy football player.

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Edited by Alvin Amansec