Central Michigan DL Leon Page medically retires
In the four seasons Leon Page has been with the Central Michigan football team, he's never played.
The redshirt junior defensive lineman announced his decision on Tuesday to medically retire from football due to a knee injury.
The 6-foot-3, 249-pound Detroit native took a redshirt in 2016 and did not play in 2017 or 2018, but he was hoping to get back on the field for the 2019 season.
During fall camp, coach Jim McElwain said Page had been sitting out with a previous knee injury. At the time, McElwain was unsure if Page would be able to return for the season, explaining the situation was in the hands of the medical staff.
Page never got the chance to play in the Chippewas' 8-6 season that included a 6-2 mark in the Mid-American Conference.
(Photo: Central Michigan Athletics)
The defensive lineman opened up about his decision on Twitter and asked for no further interviews.
"Coming to the end of the season I finally have the heart to let this off of my chest. First off I just wanna THANK GOD. Many of you have been asking why I haven't been playing this year. After going through many trials and tribulations in my college career, I have decided for the better to medically disqualify and hang up the cleats. During this process to my decision I cried and ask God many of nights was it the right choice. My number one dream was to go to the NFL since I can remember.
"But after talking to doctors and hearing I might not be able to walk anymore I had to realize I was more than just a ball and that I had to move on with life. To all the memories with my many teammates on each level. THANK YOU. To all of my coaches who have made me better on and off the field. Thank YOU. Lastly thank you Central MICH University for blessing me with the opportunity with a full ride scholarship and taking another young man out of the city of Detroit, Michigan. And for the ones who still doing it I'll always be living through you. Keep it going."
Page added hashtags "Forever52," "HitSquad" and "FireUpChips" to conclude his message on Twitter.
Out of Martin Luther King High School, Page came to Mount Pleasant as a three-star prospect with other offers from Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Miami (Ohio) and Purdue.
Page recorded 73 tackles and 12 sacks as a senior at Martin Luther King in 2015, leading the Crusaders to a MHSAA Division 2 state championship victory, 40-38, over Lowell.
He was named First Team Division 2 All-State by the Detroit Free Press and was the No. 55 ranked prospect in the state.
