Will Grier ends seven-season NFL journey as backup quarterback
Backup quarterback Will Grier retires after seven NFL seasons with limited starting opportunities.
Event / Sports
Will Grier, 31-year-old journeyman quarterback, retired on July 15, 2026, after signing with the Carolina Panthers in April. Grier spent seven seasons across six NFL teams since being drafted by Carolina in 2019, starting only two games in his career.
2026-08-15 to 2026-11-12 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 16 Jul, 00:31 UTC
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Will Grier, a 31-year-old quarterback, retired from the NFL on Wednesday. Grier had signed with the Carolina Panthers in April 2026 after being released by the Dallas Cowboys in March. The Panthers placed him on the reserve/retired list following his retirement announcement.
Will Grier played two seasons at West Virginia University (2017-2018), having transferred from the University of Florida where he played two years (2015-2016). At West Virginia, he threw 71 touchdowns and over 7,000 passing yards in two seasons, finishing fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2018.
Will Grier made two regular-season starts in his NFL career, both in 2019 for the Carolina Panthers. In those two games, he completed 28 of 52 passes for 228 yards and four interceptions, losing both games by a combined score of 80-16.
Will Grier played in the NFL for seven seasons, spending time with the Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers, and Philadelphia Eagles. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of West Virginia University.
Backup quarterback Will Grier retires after seven NFL seasons with limited starting opportunities.