Atlanta Falcons rookie Anterio Thompson revealed he is retiring from football at 24 years old due to a genetic mutation in his spinal cord. The diagnosis, received on May 8, 2026, effectively ends his NFL career before it could begin.
Thompson, who was drafted by the Falcons in the 2026 NFL Draft as the 208th overall pick, shared the news on his 24th birthday via Instagram. "As a football player you know one day you’ll have to hang up your cleats but you just hope it’s on your own terms," Thompson wrote. "May 8th, 2026 I was told I would never play football again due to a genetic mutation in my spinal cord that I had no idea about."
He added, "It’s hard to explain what it feels like to go through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in the matter of seconds. I believe everything happens for a reason and this was nothing but God protecting and giving me a reason to be closer to Him."
Thompson played his final collegiate season at Washington after previous stints at Iowa and Western Michigan. In his last season with the Huskies, he recorded 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. He was placed on the Falcons' Non-Football Injury list on July 29th and did not participate in training camp.
Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski had no update on Thompson's condition when asked prior to the player's announcement. Thompson currently remains on the Falcons' roster as a reserve, pending a potential medical retirement.
