The Carolina Panthers are entering the 2026 campaign believing that they have found their quarterback of the future, Bryce Young. You can never have too much depth at the quarterback position, though, as it’s the most important position in all of football. As a result, the Panthers made an effort to address this spot over the offseason.
While the team moved on from Andy Dalton, it signed Kenny Pickett and Will Grier in free agency, before also scooping up Haynes King after he didn’t hear his name called in the 2026 NFL Draft. With training camp drawing near, though, the Panthers’ depth at quarterback has taken a hit, as Grier abruptly announced that he was retiring from the NFL on Wednesday afternoon.
Panthers’ Quarterback Will Grier Retires from the NFL
Grier entered the league as a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft with the Panthers. And yet, while he has spent seven years in the pros, he only managed to suit up for two total games during his career. Grier was primarily bouncing between backup gig and practice squad opportunities, but he never managed to find his footing.
All of Grier’s NFL action came as a rookie with Carolina, and the results were not good (28/52, 228 YDS, 0 TD, 4 INT). Since then, Grier has spent time with the Dallas Cowboys (twice), Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers, and Philadelphia Eagles before finding his way back to where his career started this offseason.
While Pickett is unquestionably Young’s backup, Grier was going to have a shot to stick around as the team’s No. 3 quarterback. Instead, he has decided to call it a career from seemingly out of nowhere, as Carolina shared the news of Grier’s retirement on Wednesday afternoon, right before the team begins to get ready for its training camp action.
“Panthers QB Will Grier has retired from the NFL,” Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team shared in a post on X.
Panthers May Need More Help at Quarterback After Will Grier’s Retirement
GettyPanthers quarterback Will Grier has announced his retirement from the NFL
Grier’s career in the NFL simply never got off the ground. He struggled early with the Panthers, and while that wasn’t totally his fault, he was never able to move past that. No matter what situation he found himself in, Grier was unable to find his way back on the field, and he finally decided that it was time to call it a career. Given how Carolina just signed him a couple of months ago, this decision is going to alter some of the team’s plans.
Losing Grier is admittedly a blow the Panthers will be able to overcome, but again, depth at the quarterback position is crucial. If something were to happen to both Young and Pickett, Carolina would be up the creek without a paddle. The good news is that the front office still has time to replace Grier, so it will be worth keeping an eye on this team to see if another move is coming at the quarterback position.
Veteran Panthers Quarterback Makes Abrupt Retirement Announcement