Ex-Colts, Vikings center Ryan Kelly announces retirement

Minnesota Vikings center Ryan Kelly announced his retirement on Friday in a post on X.

10 seasons. What an incredible ride it was. I was blessed to be around some of the greatest people this sport has to offer. I always wanted to leave each place better than how I found it and with that I can hang my hat. Forever grateful for my family and brothers! Cheers pic.twitter.com/LzliGJ2wOK

— Ryan Kelly (@ryan_kelly70) March 6, 2026

This was the expected outcome for the 32-year-old Ohio native, whom the Indianapolis Colts drafted in the first round out of Alabama in 2016.

With the Colts from 2016 to 2024, he was named to the Pro Bowl four times and earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2020. He was also a player representative and a key voice for the NFLPA.

Minnesota signed him to a free-agent contract last spring in the hopes he would help revamp its offensive line. Kelly missed nine games with multiple concussions this past season though. He suffered two between Weeks 2 and 4 and was held out for nearly two months while he visited with medical experts across the country. Kelly chose to continue playing despite more than five documented concussions. Another one, in Week 16, ended his season.

The Vikings will now be in the market for a center. Current offensive linemen Blake Brandel and Michael Jurgens are options. Minnesota’s staff also thinks highly of multiple centers in the 2026 NFL Draft. If the Vikings opt to go the free-agent route, an option like former New Orleans Saints center Luke Fortner could be a possibility.