Kaleb McGary, the Atlanta Falcons' long-time starter at right tackle, is walking away from football at 31, his agent announced Wednesday. The decision ends a six-season stint in which he turned into a fixture on Atlanta's offensive line but missed the entire 2025 season after a serious injury to his left leg. The timing hits just as the Falcons enter a draft and offseason where bolstering offensive line depth was already on the to-do list.
McGary's agent, Collin Roberts, shared a message confirming the retirement, according to 11Alive. In the post, Roberts congratulated McGary on his career and made clear the veteran tackle is stepping away from the game. It served as the first public confirmation that McGary was done playing.
McGary's Falcons career in brief
A first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of the University of Washington, McGary quickly settled in as Atlanta's primary right tackle and held that role in each of his six seasons. The Falcons signed him to a two-year, $30 million extension in August 2025, and he started 92 of the 93 games he played for Atlanta, according to the team website (Atlanta Falcons). Those numbers, along with the extension itself, helped cement his reputation as a stabilizing force up front.
Injury that ended the 2025 season
McGary's final chapter in Atlanta effectively began closing in the last training-camp practice of 2025, when he suffered a left-leg injury and was carted off the field. The Falcons later placed him on injured reserve, ending his season before it began. As reported by ESPN, head coach Raheem Morris said McGary would be out for "significant time" after the injury. The severity of that setback played a role in his decision to retire this offseason.
What this means for Atlanta
McGary's retirement leaves a vacancy at a premium position that the Falcons were already scrutinizing for depth and competition. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has noted that the team could explore adding youth or challengers behind McGary through the draft or free agency as it weighs immediate needs against long-range roster building (AJC). How Atlanta chooses to replace his experience on the right side now becomes one of the central questions of the offseason.
McGary exits the league known as a dependable run-blocker and veteran presence who helped steady Atlanta's ground game over multiple seasons. The Falcons' site has highlighted his impact in the run game and his reliability year after year (Atlanta Falcons), and his retirement closes the book on a player the team leaned on during several strong rushing stretches. With McGary stepping away, the organization faces the challenge of replacing that consistency heading into 2026.
