Spring football alums have seen a sudden wave of retirements; however this most recent one is a bit of a surprise. The Carolina Panthers announced that their defensive end LaBryan Ray would not be at practice due to personal reasons, several hours later it was announced that he retired going into his fourth season with the team.
Ray was a UDFA with the New England Patriots before the team waived him in 2023. He'd join the USFL's Philadelphia Stars eventually earning a contract with Carolina during the 2023 NFL season. Ray would earn a place on the 53-man roster in 23' and has been a key rotational piece for the Panthers ever since.
Ray's retirement comes as a surprise as the Alabama alum was set to earn approx. 1.1 million dollars in 2026. Ray collectively had earned 3.5 million during his NFL career since coming out of Alabama in 2022. Ray was one of three active members from the 2023 USFL to NFL signing class with Brandon Aubrey and Josh Butler remaining on NFL rosters going into their 4th NFL seasons.
While Ray's retirement is sudden it is worth noting he did qualify for the NFL pension plan becoming a vested NFL veteran in 2025. Ray was one of eight players with ties to the Philadelphia Stars who was rostered on NFL, CFL, or UFL teams during the 2026 season.