Rookie Adrian Coxson retires after concussion
Former Packers receiver Adrian Coxson announced his retirement from football on Monday, a little more than a month after he sustained a Grade 3 concussion in the third practice of training camp on Aug. 1.
Coxson, a 6-foot-1, 209-pound receiver out of Stony Brook, was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for observation after experiencing dizziness and never returned to practice. He told the National Football Post that he's still experiencing symptoms today.
"I'm retiring because I'm still having symptoms and my health is more important to me than the game of football," Coxson said. "It's been recommended to me by two neurologists and two doctors to retire from football. The next hit to my head could possibly kill me or be life damaging.
"This last one could be life damaging. It has taken a great toll on me. This concussion was a bad one. A Grade 3 concussion is real serious."
The 23-year-old receiver signed with the Packers for a $5,000 signing bonus after going undrafted in May. He spent his final three collegiate seasons at Stony Brook after transferring from Maryland in 2011.
The Packers executed the rarely used "Failure to Disclose Injury" designation when they cut Coxson on Aug. 17. His agent, Jonathan Herbst, said he couldn't go into the specifics of what led to the organization going that direction, but the two sides have since reached an injury settlement.
Packers general manager Ted Thompson had no comment when he was asked about Coxson last month.
"Life and health are more important than football," Herbst said. "That's the bottom line. It's a decision he felt he had to make."
The Baltimore native holds degrees in business, African studies and art. Whatever he does next, Herbst is confident he'll be successful.
"He has a good head on his shoulders," Herbst said. "I think he'll be just fine. Hopefully, these issues will get resolved. It may take some time, but hopefully he'll be OK and move onto the next chapter of his life."
— whodkiew@pressgazettemedia.com and follow him on Twitter @WesHod.