A Carolina Panthers quarterback has taken himself off the roster a week before training camp begins.
Will Grier, the veteran signal caller who signed in late April, has decided to retire. The 31-year-old quarterback was officially moved to the reserve/retired list, according to the NFL transaction wire on Wednesday afternoon.
The Panthers now have a slot open on their 91-man training camp roster. The team’s quarterback room now consists of Bryce Young, Kenny Pickett and undrafted rookie free agent Haynes King.
Grier has about as many ties to the Panthers as one could have. He’s from the Charlotte area and was one of the best high school prospects of his generation from the region. He attended SouthLake Christian Academy in Huntersville before transferring to Davidson Day School and breaking records there — including a North Carolina-record 77 touchdown passes en route to being named Parade Magazine’s National Player of the Year.
Quarterback Will Grier takes part in Carolina Panthers Organized Team Activities on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez [email protected]
He played at Florida and West Virginia in college before being selected by the Panthers in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Grier started two games that season — the only two he played in the NFL.
Grier stayed in the league thereafter, filling roles on the practice squad and serving as a sounding board for his fellow quarterbacks. And he never seemed to lose focus of his dream of being on the field again, leading the offense. He told The Charlotte Observer earlier this summer that he believed another chance was out there for him.
“All I’m focused on is getting myself ready for that opportunity,” Grier told The Observer in June. “That’s kind of the position I’ve been in the last few years. It’s a tough position to be in. But at the same time, I have a lot of experience and have played a lot of good ball. I just would love an opportunity to play during the season.”
Quarterbacks Will Grier, left, and Kenny Pickett take part in Carolina Panthers Organized Team Activities on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez [email protected]
He also said that he has “a doctorate” degree in football. That started in North Carolina — with his father, Chad, being a well-known high school football coach in Charlotte — and continued through the rest of his playing days. He said that he would like to coach one day.
But still, in June, he was clinging to those playing dreams.
“I’m self-aware enough to know that I’m good enough to still play, and just need an opportunity,” Grier said. “So I’m going to play as long as I can.”
Carolina Panthers quarterback Will Grier (3) is helped off the field after being sacked by New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan during the first half at Bank of America Stadium on Dec. 29, 2019. David T. Foster III [email protected]
This is the second surprising retirement the Panthers have weathered this offseason. The first came in March, when offensive lineman Yosh Nijman announced on Instagram that he was done playing the game he loved.
Grier’s retirement makes it likely that King — the aforementioned undrafted QB out of Georgia Tech — will get most of the reps in the Panthers’ first preseason game on Aug. 6 in Canton, Ohio, before Luke Kuechly gets enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame later that week.
Former Davidson Day quarterback Will Grier on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. Jeff Siner [email protected]
This story was originally published July 15, 2026 at 4:19 PM.
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Alex Zietlow
The Charlotte Observer
Alex Zietlow writes about the Carolina Panthers and the ways in which sports intersect with life for The Charlotte Observer, where he has been a reporter since August 2022. Zietlow’s work has been honored by the Pro Football Writers Association, the N.C. and S.C. Press Associations, as well as the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) group. He’s earned six APSE Top 10 distinctions for his coverage on a variety of topics, from billion-dollar stadium renovations to the small moments of triumph that helped a Panthers kicker defy the steepest odds in sports. Zietlow previously wrote for The Herald in Rock Hill (S.C.) from 2019-22.
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