Baylor's Nick Florence bypasses NFL chances for master's degree

Former Baylor quarterback Nick Florence will not enter the draft, but instead will pursue his master's degree. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)

Former Baylor quarterback Nick Florence will not be pursuing his riches via the National Football League, instead he is going to pursue his master’s degree at Baylor.

Florence led the Bears to a 49-26 victory over UCLA in the Holiday Bowl. He threw for 4,309 yards with 33 touchdowns and 13 interceptions for Baylor who finished the season 8-5. He was second in the nation behind Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel in total offense, averaging 375.15 yards a game.

"I had a great career at Baylor," Florence said to the Dallas Morning News. "I don’t regret any of it. I had a blast playing here and going to three straight bowl games. I decided that the NFL wasn’t for me and that I was excited about life after football." "We decided it was best to hang things up on a high note. The NFL is a great opportunity for a lot of people. I figured out what was best for me and it just wasn’t the best for me. ‘There were pros and cons for both situations. I think overall, after we finally made the decision, there was a lot of peace and even joy being excited about what life holds now and ahead of us. We feel like we made the right decision for what is best for us."