Colorado RB Charlie Offerdahl Retires After Concussion Struggles

BOULDER, Colo. — Colorado running back Charlie Offerdahl announced his retirement from football due to a series of concussions. Offerdahl made the announcement during a team meeting on Tuesday, shared on head coach Deion Sanders’ Instagram page.

“If it’s not obvious already, I won’t be coming back this year,” Offerdahl told his teammates. He expressed concern about the severity of his latest concussion and the cumulative impact of previous ones, saying, “How serious this last concussion was and how many I’ve had leading up to it is pretty scary for me and my family.”

Offerdahl, 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, was a senior with one year of eligibility remaining. He had a total of 280 rushing yards during his college career, having played for CU since becoming a walk-on in 2021. He gained recognition as the Buffs’ scout team player of the year in his freshman year and made history in 2022 as the only walk-on to rush for over 150 yards in a season.

This summer, the Colorado Buffaloes opened preseason practice on Aug. 29, just a few weeks after Offerdahl’s emotional decision. “This is a really tough decision for me because of how much football means to me,” he shared. “I’ve been playing it since third grade.”

Last season, Offerdahl’s performance improved, highlighted by a four-yard touchdown against Utah, which Coach Sanders was fervent about achieving for him. Sanders remarked, “When you first came in, you believed in me when nobody else did, not even myself,” reflecting on their journey together.

Despite stepping away from the game, Offerdahl will remain on scholarship for this academic year and plans to apply to dental school. The Buffaloes now have four scholarship running backs: seniors Simeon Price and Dekalon Taylor, junior Dallan Hayden, and sophomore Micah Welch. Additionally, walk-ons Christian Sarem and Titus Bautista round out the backfield roster.