Austin Firestone retires from playing football

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Mizzou defensive lineman revealed he is retiring from playing football. Austin Firestone announced his retirement from the game of football in a social media post on Thursday night.

"After much prayer and reflection, I've decided to retire from the business of football. So many great memories have come from these past two years, but the time has come to pursue what I believe to be a more virtuous path that aligns more with my future dreams. Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to my football journey, especially my teammates. Grinding with you guys was the highlight of it all. It's been a pleasure. MIZ," Firestone said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The sophomore appeared in nine games during the 2023 season. The Florida native recorded two total tackles, including one tackle for loss and one sack. He recorded his first collegiate sack against Vanderbilt on Sept. 30 and made his Mizzou debut against Memphis on Sept. 23.