Georgia Tech starting linebacker Kyle Efford announced Tuesday that he is medically retiring from football but will remain with the team as a captain and player-coach for the remainder of the season.
Efford, limited to just 169 snaps in three games after reinjuring his surgically repaired shoulder against Tennessee in Week 2, finishes his career with 250 tackles.
He led Georgia Tech in tackles in each of the past three seasons.
"Over the past few years, my body has taken more damage than I can continue to ignore," Efford said in a statement. "Damage that will continue to remind me of the sport that I love many years down the road. And while my heart and mind still have so much more to give, I've reached a point where I have to start thinking about the life I have ahead of me.
"This isn't how I imagined my football career coming to an end, but I am at peace. I can say with complete confidence that I gave this game every single piece of me. There is nothing left in the tank, and there are no regrets in my heart."