Former UCF, FSU quarterback McKenzie Milton retires from football

Former UCF and Florida State quarterback McKenzie Milton announced Thursday night on social media that he is retiring from football.

“There is no easy way to put or say this but my playing days of football have come to an end,” Milton wrote on Instagram. “With the culmination of the 2022 NFL Draft it has become pretty evident that a path to the NFL is not realistic given the external variables.

“Having said that… I want to thank all of you for the love and support over the years.”

Milton led the Knights to a 27-6 record as a starter, including an undefeated 2017 season, and two American Athletic Conference championships. The Hawaiian high school star suffered a catastrophic knee injury during the regular-season finale in 2018 which forced him to miss the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

After graduating from UCF and completing a long road to recovery, Milton transferred to Florida State to close out his college campaign. Appearing in six games for the Seminoles, he threw for 775 yards and 3 touchdowns to go along with 6 interceptions while making 4 starts.

Milton was named one of three winners of the 2021 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award, sharing the honor with Michigan defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson and Kentucky linebacker J.J. Weaver.

Milton and his wife, Jany Arbos, announced in January that the two are expecting. Milton said on social media that a baby boy is on the way this summer.

“A lot of people will wonder what if he never got hurt what if this what if that? I asked myself those same questions for awhile too,” Milton wrote. “It wasn’t until November 23 2021 [three-year anniversary of my injury] where I saw my son for the first time on ultrasound and then understood why I went through what I went through.

“It took three years to put it all in perspective,” he added. “I get goosebumps thinking about how divine it is that three years to the day I get hurt, is the same day I see my baby boy for the first time.”

Milton has been on the forefront of name, image and likeness, creating his own NIL company with former Miami quarterback D’Eriq King, Dreamfield, to help student-athletes land potential deals.

In February, Dreamfield launched Mission Control, a UCF-focused collective. The organization offers the “ultimate UCF fan experience,” according to its website.

“It is a fan experience platform for UCF fans to have exclusive access to their favorite UCF athletes,” Milton previously told the Orlando Sentinel’s Mike Bianchi.

The former UCF quarterback has long been asked about whether or not he’ll considering coaching football once his playing days were over.

“I’ve thought about it a lot and I definitely see coaching in my future somewhere down the road,” Milton previously told the Sentinel. “Football is a special game, and I want to be part of it as long as I live.”

Regardless of what he decides to do, Milton’s legacy at UCF is set in stone.

“A 5-foot-11 160 [pounds] skinny Haole boy from Mililani, Hawaii was able to live out his football dream all the way in Florida and I’ll be forever grateful for that,” he wrote.

Email Jason Beede at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @therealBeede.