Rice quarterback JT Daniels, who began his collegiate career at USC, is hanging up the cleats due to concussion problems.

Daniels spoke to ESPN Friday and said doctors have recommended he quit football before sustaining any more concussions that could affect his long-term health. The Southern California native played for four different programs across six years and even won a national championship in 2021 as part of the Georgia Bulldogs.

The signal-caller told ESPN he plans to get into coaching and expressed his excitement about doing so:

“I'm definitely excited to get into coaching, that's for sure,” Daniels told ESPN in a phone interview. “I loved playing. I always knew one day I'd coach. I didn't think it would come this soon. But one day, I knew that's what I was going to be doing.”

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In 2018, Daniels joined USC as a five-star recruit out of Mater Dei High School. But after two seasons with the Trojans where he tore his ACL in the second year, Daniels took his talents to Georgia where he served as QB2 behind Bulldogs legend Stetson Bennett.

2022 saw Daniels transfer to West Virginia where he went 4-6 in 10 games before spending 2023 with Rice, featuring in seven games while throwing for 2,443 yards and a career-high 21 touchdowns against five interceptions before going down with another head injury.

Despite having to quit the sport he loves, the former USC QB is grateful for his unique journey that took him across the country:

“I've loved every stop I've been at and I've loved everywhere I've been,” he said. “I wouldn't have changed any of it. A lot of super cool stuff.”