Buffalo Bills Strong Reaction to Player's Sudden Retirement

Doyle's most recent injury left him with nerve damage that is just too difficult to play through. "At this point, with the calendar and the healing process, it looks as though it's permanent," Doyle said. "I'm just unable to play football at a high level, and it's time. When you know you know."

The team issued a strong reaction to his decision.

"Tommy Doyle has announced his retirement from the NFL. Help us wish @freestylefalcon all the best in his next chapter," the Bills said in a message on social media.

Doyle suffered the severe leg injury in 2023 during Buffalo's second preseason game against the Steelers on August 19 just a year after suffering a torn ACL.

"I was really battling and competing and working to come back from that [ACL] injury, only to be kind of struck with an even more disastrous injury," Doyle said. "But at the end of the day, there was a lot of negative emotions and anger…doing a lot of reflecting lately and looking back on it, I've learned a lot of valuable lessons from it."

"Football is something that I've loved and put my life into," Doyle said. "And I put a lot of time, effort and energy to try to get back on the field. But ultimately, that's really not the plan God has for me, and I know that to be true. I feel that this is the time to announce it and move on."

A former fifth-round pick, Doyle is ready to hang up the cleats.