Former Kansas State Wildcats defensive end Wyatt Hubert unexpectedly retires from NFL

A bright football future seemed to be in front of Wyatt Hubert when the Cincinnati Bengals selected him with the 235th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Less than two years ago, he was coming off a stellar career at Kansas State. The 6-foot-3 and 260-pound defensive end made 94 tackles and recorded 20 sacks over the course of three seasons with the Wildcats. He was so good that most expected him to keep making plays at the professional level.

But things didn’t work out that way.

Hubert’s NFL career is over before it ever truly got started. The Shawnee Heights product announced on Saturday that he is retiring from football for medical reasons before getting an opportunity to play in a game with the Bengals.

“After many conversations with my coaches, medical staff, agents and family I have decided to step away from the game of football and retire from the NFL,” Hubert announced on social media. “It has been a tough decision to make. The root cause of this decision is my physical health.”

Hubert missed his rookie season last year with an injury.

“Unfortunately I have dealt with many injuries that have taken a permanent toll on my game, body and performance on the field,” Hubert wrote. “This decision has been difficult and humbling as I have been blessed to have made it to the NFL and be drafted by a great organization in the Cincinnati Bengals.”

Hubert was a three-star recruit coming out of high school when he committed to play for K-State under former head coach Bill Snyder.

He went on to make an impact in all three of his seasons with the Wildcats before decided to leave early for the NFL. He piled up 34 tackles and made 4.5 sacks as a freshman. Then he had 33 tackles and seven sacks as a sophomore. Next, he was one of the top defensive players in the Big 12 as a junior, when he recorded 27 tackles and 8.5 sacks.

Football was good to him over the years. But now he is moving on to a new chapter in his life.

“Although the game of football is over, the things I’ve learned from football will be with me always,” Hubert said. “The values, morals, beliefs and especially the friendships. I watn to thank everybody who has helped me and who has been with me through my career. It’s an experience that I will never forget.”