Arizona Cardinals tight end and special-teamer Travis Vokolek is calling it a career after the neck injury he suffered in the team’s Week 6 game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Vokolek, 28, said on his personal Instagram and X account that he is medically retiring from the NFL. He said that decision came after recommendations from numerous doctors and neurologists.
“I am forever grateful to all my teammates, coaches, trainers, and others who have supported my family and I along the way,” Vokolek wrote.
“A sincere thank you to the Arizona Cardinals training staff for being first class with the care and support they provided my family and I with during this hard time.”
The injury happened on a kickoff sequence that still ended with Colts kicker Michael Bagley’s kick being ruled dead for a touchback. Vokolek slipped on the turf during a short exchange with another Indianapolis special-teamer.
Even with the NFL’s 2024 switch to the UFL’s “dynamic kickoff” in an effort to improve safety and cut down on injuries, Vokolek was still hurt on the play.
He was cleared from the hospital before the Cardinals left Indianapolis and flew back to Arizona with the team.
Support poured in under his Instagram post, including comments from Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland and tight end Elijah Higgins, along with former Baltimore Ravens teammates Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith.
Vokolek entered the league with Baltimore as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and later joined Arizona off the Ravens’ practice squad. His NFL career ends with one start and eight games played, mostly on special teams.
“I have attacked everyday of being a professional football player with passion, determination, and discipline,” Vokolek continued. “I can say that I truly left everything out on the field.
Thank you for all of the love and support. Lastly, thank you football!”
Arizona heads into 2026 with Trey McBride, Higgins, Tip Reiman and Teagan Quitoriano in the tight end mix. Vokolek had been expected to help fill Reiman’s role as a key in-line blocker before the injury ended his playing days.
In Other News...
Saints May Not Be Done Addressing Two Lingering Camp Concerns
The Saints spent much of their offseason trying to upgrade the roster, with a clear emphasis on the offense, but the work around camp does not appear finished. Even after the heavy lifting of the spring and summer, there are still a couple of spots where the depth chart looks thin enough to keep the front office looking around.
Center remains one of those areas, with New Orleans still wanting more insurance behind Erik McCoy, and Ryan Bates has surfaced as a possible low-cost backup option. Linebacker is the other lingering question, especially with Demario Davis gone and Kaden Elliss likely handling a different share of the load, which is why Bobby Okereke has been mentioned as a potential free-agent fit if the Saints decide they need another steady hand before camp settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Fans May Not Love Keenan Allens Latest Team Link
Keenan Allens next stop may be closer to home than Chargers fans would like to imagine. The veteran wideout has been linked to New Orleans as one of the better fits still available on the free-agent market, and the appeal is easy to see from the Saints side: a proven route runner, a steady target and a receiver who already knows Kellen Moores offense from their time together in Los Angeles.
For New Orleans, the timing makes sense because the depth chart behind Chris Olave is still light on experience, with Tyson, Lance, Brown and Devaughn Vele all representing younger options. Allen is 34 now, but he was still productive in his last Chargers season and would give Moore a familiar piece to lean on if the Saints decide they want more polish and reliability in a room that could use both. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Fans Are Starting To Feel Better About Their QB Future
Tyler Shoughs first NFL season gave Saints fans a reason to breathe a little easier about the quarterback future, even if the bigger questions are still ahead. The second-round pick flashed the kind of accuracy and early impact that can change the mood around a position room fast, and his rookie year was strong enough to put him near the top of his draft class conversation without needing a full seasons worth of games.
Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus did not put Shough among the 10 players under the most pressure in Year 2, which says plenty about how his first year was viewed around the league. Still, the next step is the one that matters most in New Orleans, because the Saints need to know whether Shough can turn that promising start into the kind of consistency that makes a quarterback feel like a long-term answer rather than just a bright early story. [Read more 🡒]