After a 10-year pro career, former WVU great Tavon Austin has retired from the NFL he announced on social media Tuesday.
“No matter how hard you work or how badly you want something, sometimes God has other plans,” the multi-time All-American wrote on Instagram. “I wasn’t sure if I was ready to give up football and it has been one of the most challenging decisions I’ve ever made. But after an incredible 10 years, I’m officially retiring from the NFL.”
Austin is one of the greatest playmakers in WVU and college football history, playing for the Mountaineers from 2009-12. A first-team All-American in 2011 and 2012, Austin holds nine Mountaineers single-game, season and career records.
His legendary performance against Oklahoma in 2012 saw him break the WVU single-game records for both rushing yards (344) and all-purpose yards (572). He owns the single-season records for all-purpose yards (2,910) and kick return yards (938) and is tied for the reception record with 114.
In terms of career marks, Austin holds the records for receptions (288), receiving yards (3,413), all-purpose yards (7,286) and kickoff return yards (2,407).
In his WVU career, Austin earned the Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most versatile player and was the Jet Award Return Specialist winner in 2012. He was also named both the Big 12 and Big East Special Teams Player of the Year in 2012 and 2011, respectively.
“Football gave me more than a career,” Austin wrote. “It gave me some lifelong friendships and molded so much of my character…Football didn’t always love me back but it will always be my first love.”
Austin never duplicated his success in the pros. The St. Louis Rams selected Austin eighth overall in the 2013 NFL Draft. In five seasons with the Rams from 2013-17, Austin caught 194 passes for 1,689 yards and 12 touchdowns. He then spent two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and then one year each with Green Bay and Jacksonville.
He signed with the Buffalo Bills in 2022 but did not appear in a game and did not play in the NFL in 2023.
In total, Austin made 244 receptions for 2,239 yards and 16 touchdowns in the NFL. He added 1,361 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns and scored three kick return touchdowns.
Austin was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.
