Oregon State LB Makiya Tongue Medically Retires from Football

After a difficult college career that featured a high-profile transfer, a position change, and three season-ending injuries, Makiya Tongue hung up his cleats.

Last night on Instagram, the Oregon State linebacker announced his medical retirement from football.

The redshirt senior closed a detailed, heartfelt goodbye to fans with the following: “I am grateful for all this game has given me, but I feel that G od has better plans for me, and I am ready for the next chapter of my life”.

Makiya’s father Reggie Tongue played safety on Oregon State’s football team in the early nineties. He then began a respectable nine year NFL career with the Chiefs (1996-99), Seahawks (2000-03), Jets (2004), and Raiders (2005). When that thrill ride ended, the Tongue family settled down in Baton Rouge Louisiana.

After a stellar high school career at Baton Rouge’s University Laboratory School, during which he earned four star ratings from the major recruiting services, Tongue committed to Georgia as a wide receiver. After playing 3 games as a freshman in 2019 and then redshirting 2020, he transferred. 

At Oregon State, Tongue earned game appearances, but lacked production. He played in 6 games in 2021, catching 1 pass for 24 yards. The following season he played in all 13 games with 2 starts, but only caught 1 pass for 13 yards. Ahead of the 2023 season, coaches convinced him to switch positions, so he played linebacker. It was a fateful decision.

In a late September contest against San Diego State, the new linebacker tore the ACL, MCL, patellar tendon, and meniscus in his left knee. A grueling physical therapy regimen sidelined him through the duration of the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and then another injury in fall camp impacted his availability for this season’s opener. When asked about the redshirt senior linebacker’s status last week, Oregon State head coach Trent Bray looked grim.  Now, we know for certain that the Beavers will be without Makiya Tongue.