Vikings’ Ryan Kelly Faces Calls to Retire Amid Ongoing Concussion Concerns
Minnesota Vikings starting center Ryan Kelly is at a career crossroads amid his 10th season in the NFL that could have him considering hanging it up for good.
Signed to a
But his history with concussions is much more than this season. Since the 2023 season, Kelly has been diagnosed with five concussions.
Asked how many concussions he’s had in his entire playing career after his second concussion during the 2023 season, Kelly said “
Many Vikings observers have expressed concern that Kelly needs to consider his long-term health and consider retirement, including Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller who made a strong plea on his postgame show after the Steelers loss.
“He just had a concussion two weeks ago. I am not a doctor, I am not evaluating him, I am not his family member. Retire,” Coller said. “This has got to be it. One of the best players of the decade. Phenomenal center. The games he was in, I was so impressed… Talked to him a handful of times. Incredibly smart dude, incredibly impessive person. Every person you talk to loves Ryan Kelly. Retire.”
Vikings C Ryan Kelly Addresses Potential Retirement After Concussion History With Colts
During the 2023 season, Kelly addressed the concerns with his health after he was diagnosed with a second concussion in Week 12 of the
“Yeah, you become 30 and you start thinking about things,’’ Kelly said in December 2023. “If it’s between playing football and when I’m 60 having dementia and all these things you see that can come from playing football, of course I’m going to look after myself and my family.
“It’s hard seeing some of these (retired) guys now. You have to be aware of your quality of life later.’’
The No. 18 overall pick of the 2016 draft, Kelly sustained his first concussion as a pro during the 2017 season and missed five games due to the head injury. The other two concussions he sustained during the 2023 season weren’t enough to keep him from earning his fourth Pro Bowl nod — but his livelihood after football is in jeopardy if he suffers any more head trauma.
“It certainly puts a seed of doubt in your mind,’’ Kelly said after his second concussion in 2023. “It’s a violent game and you’ve been playing it for a long time. Things add up.
“You can replace a knee and you can replace a hip,’’ “You’re not replacing your brain. I’ll try to play the game as long as I can. I’ll go out there and give everything I’ve got. If ultimately I have more concussions, I’ll make a decision then, whatever that is.’’
Kevin O’Connell Addresses Ryan Kelly’s Future
The situation with Kelly is looking dire, and head coach Kevin O’Connell did not shrug off the concerns facing the Pro Bowl center.
“The health of our players is always the beginning, the end, and the middle of that conversation,” O’Connell said in his postgame news conference.
“So we’ll totally defer to the doctors and we’ll defer to the protocol. And then ultimately, we’re gonna want to make sure Ryan’s in a good place. That’s not anything I particularly ever want to mess around with, so we’ll be smart. Definitely not my lane to weigh in on those things until we get to that place.”
Saints Predicted To Replace Spencer Rattler With Star QB Prospect
The New Orleans Saints came into the offseason with a lot of question marks at quarterback, especially after Derek Carr retired. Head coach Kellen Moore opted for second-year signal caller Spencer Rattler to be the team's starting quarterback, which seemed a bit risky at first.
Rattler struggled mightily last year, but it was clear early in the season that he's not the same quarterback he was a year ago. Through four weeks, the young Saints signal caller has looked much better than he did last year, though he's been given little help. Still, if New Orleans is selecting at the top of the next NFL Draft, it's hard to imagine the front office wouldn't go after a new franchise quarterback.
FanSided's Christopher Kline recently predicted the Saints would land the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and use that selection to take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Saints predicted to draft Fernando Mendoza in 2026 NFL Draft
"There was a time not so long ago when Arch Manning was penciled into this spot, which felt so fitting. But Manning has looked overmatched in the early going for Texas, which also guarantees a return to Austin for his senior campaign in 2026," Kline wrote. "The best quarterback in college football right now is Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, who transferred from Cal and took immediately to Curt Cignetti's offense.
"There will be a lot of Garrett Nussmeier buzz since his father is the New Orleans Saints' offensive coordinator, but if the Saints decide to put feelings aside and prioritize the best available talent, Mendoza clears the field right now. He's the prototypical NFL quarterback on paper — tall, athletic, and blessed with incredible touch."
The book should still be open on Rattler. He's looked solid enough this season to continue earning chances as the starter. If the Saints replace him with Mendoza, while not addressing their bigger issues, they'll be in the same situation a year from now.
But if they land the No. 1 pick in the draft, it's clear they need some kind of change. The Saints came into the season as the worst team in the league and they're certainly playing that way.
Mendoza is a talented quarterback with a lot of potential. If New Orleans isn't happy with what it sees from Rattler this season, this idea would make a lot of sense.
