Falcons' Former 1st-Round Pick Retires at 31 After Injury-Plagued Season

Kaleb McGary, a reliable right tackle for Atlanta, announced his retirement after missing the entire 2025 season due to injury.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 7:58pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a football player in motion, with sharp, overlapping planes of red and black colors representing the Atlanta Falcons' uniform colors.The abrupt retirement of a key offensive lineman leaves the Falcons with a hole to fill on their offensive line.Atlanta Today

Kaleb McGary, a former first-round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2019, has announced his retirement from the NFL at the age of 31. McGary spent his entire 6-year career with the Falcons, starting 92 out of 93 games he appeared in, before missing the entire 2025 season due to a preseason injury that landed him on Injured Reserve. After never missing more than 3 games in a season prior to 2025, McGary has decided to hang up his cleats.

Why it matters

McGary was a consistent and reliable presence on the Falcons' offensive line, providing stability at the right tackle position. His retirement at a relatively young age is a significant loss for the team, as they will need to find a replacement for a key position on their offensive line.

The details

McGary was originally selected 31st overall by the Falcons in the 2019 NFL Draft out of the University of Washington. He went on to start 92 out of 93 games he appeared in over his 6-year career, establishing himself as a quality right tackle. However, McGary suffered an injury during the 2025 preseason that kept him out for the entire year, and he has now decided to retire rather than attempt a comeback.

  • McGary was originally drafted by the Falcons in 2019.
  • He spent his entire 6-year NFL career with the Falcons.
  • McGary missed the entire 2025 season due to a preseason injury.
  • McGary announced his retirement on April 8, 2026.

The players

Kaleb McGary

A former first-round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2019, McGary spent his entire 6-year NFL career with the team as their starting right tackle before retiring at the age of 31 due to an injury-plagued 2025 season.

Atlanta Falcons

The NFL team that drafted Kaleb McGary in the first round in 2019 and employed him as their starting right tackle for 6 seasons before his retirement.

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What they’re saying

“Congrats to Kaleb McGary on his retirement and an amazing career.”

— Collin Roberts, McGary's agent

What’s next

The Falcons will need to find a new starting right tackle to replace the retired Kaleb McGary on their offensive line.

The takeaway

Kaleb McGary's retirement at the age of 31 is a significant loss for the Atlanta Falcons, as he had been a consistent and reliable presence on their offensive line for 6 seasons. His injury-plagued 2025 campaign ultimately led to his decision to hang up his cleats, leaving the Falcons to search for a new starting right tackle.