Penn State football letterman, Super Bowl Champion announces retirement from NFL

After a half-decade in the NFL, Penn State letterman Grant Haley is calling it a career. The former Nittany Lions cornerback announced his retirement from professional football Sunday night on social media.

“I have been trying to find the words to express my decision to end a chapter of my life that has provided me with profound memories, the definition of sacrifice, dedication, and competition, but most importantly, provided me with family for life,” Haley wrote on Instagram. “For over half my life, I gave everything I had to a dream that didn’t happen by accident but happened because of the values my parents, coaches, and mentors instilled upon me.

“I could not have done this alone, and I am thankful for the support of those who know me beyond the helmet. I bent but never broke through the adversity life threw at me and gained respect from those who wanted to see me fail. As I move forward with my journey through life, I am reminded that football was just a platform. A platform to be a mentor, servant, leader, and those are the things that ultimately define me as a person.

“I close this chapter grateful with an abundant amount of respect for the game of football. Forever grateful for the NY Giants/ NO Saints/ LA Rams for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime. I hope that my journey gives others the belief that the only limits in life are those that we set for ourselves! All glory to God.”

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Penn State letterman reaches pinnacle of professional sports

Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

A three-star recruit from Atlanta, Georgia, Grant Haley played for Penn State football between the 2014 and 2017 seasons. He recorded 133 tackles, 28 passes defended, and five interceptions during his Nittany Lions career.

Haley is most remembered for his integral role during the Nittany Lions’ 2016 Big Ten Championship-winning season. The then-junior is forever etched in Penn State football lore for his return of Marcus Allen’s blocked field goal 60 yards for the game-winning score against No. 2 Ohio State. The defensive back also made the final fourth-and-one stop against Wisconsin to help seal the Nittany Lions’ conference title victory.

Following his time in Happy Valley, Grant Haley was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Working his way up from the practice squad, the ex-Nittany Lion was ranked as the 4th best rookie cornerback in the NFL by the end of 2018, per Pro Football Focus.

Haley was signed by the New Orleans Saints in 2020 and the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, primarily serving on the teams’ practice squads. Promoted to the Rams’ active roster for the 2021 postseason, Haley was crowned a champion in Super Bowl LVI alongside Penn State football letterman Nick Scott.

Haley finishes his NFL career with 94 tackles, six passes defended, one sack, and one interception over 30 games.

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