Former center for Arizona Cardinals retires from NFL following health scare
Billy Price, a center who started most of the 2022 season for the Cardinals, has announced his retirement from the NFL at the age of 29.
Price, a former first-round pick out of Ohio State, said a health scare makes it unsafe for him to continue playing following a six-year career that included stints with the Bengals, Giants, Raiders, Saints and Cowboys.
“In the blink of an eye, everything can be taken away,” Price wrote on social media. “On April 24th I had emergency pulmonary embolism surgery to remove a saddle clot that was entering both of my lungs. As a healthy 29-year-old, an unprovoked pulmonary embolism with no further medical explanation is terrifying. I am truly thankful to be alive today.
“Unfortunately, I will be retiring from the NFL as the risk of an internal bleed while on blood thinners creates tremendous risks. I am truly thankful for the opportunity to have played in some of the greatest atmospheres around the world. I am thankful to have trained and played alongside men who will continue to make Pro Bowls, All-Pro Rosters and Hall of Fame recognitions.”
Price started 11 games for the Cardinals in 2022 after center Rodney Hudson was limited to just four games because of a lingering knee problem. Price was signed off the Raiders’ practice squad earlier that season. He spent his first three years with the Bengals, who drafted him in the first round with the 21st overall pick.
Price won the Rimington Trophy in 2017 as the best center in college football. Although he spent time with both the Saints and Cowboys last season, Price’s last action in the NFL came with the Cardinals.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former Cardinals center Billy Price retires from NFL at the age of 29
