Former Ohio State OL Corey Linsley '99 Percent Sure' To Retire Following Heart Condidition
Former Ohio State offensive lineman Corey Linsley is likely calling it a career.
The current Los Angeles Chargers center told reporters Monday that he is “99 percent sure" he is retiring from the NFL due to the heart issue that sidelined him for most of the 2023 season.
Linsley is scheduled to undergo more tests in March before making a final decision. The former Buckeye was placed on the non-football illness list after a non-emergent heart issue in September. He had not played since Week 3 and watched from the sidelines as Los Angeles finished 5-12.
Los Angeles Chargers offensive lineman Corey Linsley delivers a snap to Justin Herbert
USA Today-Sports
Entering 2023, Linsley, 32, had been regarded as one of the league's best centers. In 2022, he posted a 72.4 overall grade by Pro Football Focus, and a 90.2 grade in pass-blocking.
A fifth-round pick in 2014, Linsley began his career with the Green Bay Packers. For seven seasons, he anchored an offensive line that helped Aaron Rodgers win two MVPs (2014, 2020) while also securing a playoff bid five times.
Linsley inked a five-year, 62.5 million contract with the Chargers in 2021, making him the highest-paid center in the league at the time of the signing. He recorded 33 starts in three years, allowing zero sacks during that span.
Los Angeles secured a playoff berth in 2022 behind a Pro Bowl-caliber performance from Justin Herbert. Los Angeles finished with a 10-7 record, but was eliminated in the Wild Card Round after a second-half comeback by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
A native of Youngstown, Linsley played for Ohio State from 2009-13. He started at center his final two seasons with the Buckeyes, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors as a fifth-year senior in 2013.