Former North Carolina A&T and Boston College defensive tackle Caleb Jones has announced his retirement from football. Jones who played for NCAT in 2022, made the announcement on social media.
In an Instagram post shared on Sunday, Jones reflected on the impact football had on his life, expressing gratitude for the opportunities it provided.
“Football has done so much for me. I can’t even describe how many doors it opened up for me, and never in my 20 years of living would I have thought I’d have to hang it up earlier than expected,” Jones wrote. “It was a generational run for me. I inspired a lot of people by showing that, even if you’re shorter than the average player, you can still make it to the next level. Even though football has blessed my life, God has a different plan for me, and I won’t question it. I was fortunate to make it this far when some didn’t believe in me, but now it’s time to step away. With that, I’m officially announcing my retirement from football. Thank you for everything.”
A native of Chesapeake, Va., Jones joined NCAT as an unranked prospect from the class of 2022. He was the 6A defensive player of the year in Virginia. He helped lead his Oscar Smith team to back-to-back state championships. In his freshman season with the Aggies, he played in 11 games, recording 16 tackles (nine solo, seven assisted), 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and a quarterback hit.
Caleb Jones transferred to Boston College during the 2023 offseason but did not play for the Eagles due to an injury that sidelined him for the entire season. Now, after a journey that took him from North Carolina A&T to Boston College, he has made the difficult decision to retire from the sport.