Penn State’s Landon Tengwall Retires From Football

Coach James Franklin described Tengwall’s decision to quit due to health issues as “a hard thing.”

PA State College | Landon Tengwall, an offensive lineman at Penn State who aimed to get back into the starting lineup following an injury in 2022, declared on Wednesday that he is retiring from football due to medical reasons. In an Instagram post, Tengwall stated that he “sustained an injury that will not allow me to safely continue to play the game I love and that has given me so much.”

Penn State coach James Franklin opened his media availability on Wednesday after practice with a statement regarding Tengwall.

“I think you’ll be seeing Landon around here, hopefully pretty soon,” added Franklin. However, we recently discussed it as a team and decided to offer our fullest support. This is a challenging task.

Tengwall, a redshirt sophomore, began the 2022 season at left guard but was injured during Michigan’s warm-ups. Franklin stated that despite having “bumps and bruises” during camp, he was expected to start this year. It’s unclear if the wounds are connected. After suffering an injury last year, offensive coordinator Phil Trautwein stated in June that Tengwall “had a great mindset” and came back strong the following spring.

In June, Trautwein remarked, “Injuries make you see football in a different perspective.” “He’s working his ass off, grinding away. He returned with all his might. In the offensive line room for the spring game, he received the best grade and had a successful spring. He is prepared to go and extremely driven.”

Tengwall, a star player on the field and the top-ranked recruit in the 2021 class, received devastating news, as did Penn State. Inside and outside the locker room, Tengwall was a popular member of the team. He is the vice president of the Uplifting Athletes chapter at Penn State, which organizes the yearly Lift For Life fundraiser. The offensive line will be significantly altered by Tengwall’s absence, although

“Everyone adores Landon. He was a diligent worker when he initially came here. Defensive end Adisa Isaac stated, “He gave it everything he had.” “We all love him, and he’s always welcome here.

“Without Tengwall, Penn State will turn to JB Nelson and Vega Ioane at left guard. Nelson, a transfer from Lackawanna College, played sparingly in four games last season but is the favorite to slot in as the starter. Franklin praised Nelson last week for his development through spring and summer. The staff anticipated before the season that Nelson could start or see starter-type reps.

The third player Penn State has formally declared out for the season is Tengwall. Smith Vilbert and Alonzo Ford Jr., two defensive linemen, were previously confirmed by the program to be out of action in 2023.