Ex-Utah QB Rising medically retires due to injury

Former Utah quarterback Cameron Rising announced Wednesday that he's retiring from football.

Rising, 25, started three games last season before suffering a season-ending injury to his throwing hand. He wrote in an Instagram story Wednesday that two orthopedic physicians had advised him to give up football because of the hand.

Rising said in the post he will undergo surgery and focus on rehab.

Rising played in 30 games for the Utes, making 28 starts. He led Utah to Pac-12 championships in 2021 and 2022, and was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2021.

He played in only three games after 2022, however, missing the entire 2023 season with a knee injury. He was removed from the Utes roster after last season.

Rising, who began his college career in 2018 at Texas, still had a year of eligibility remaining because of redshirt seasons, the COVID-19 waiver in 2020 and the injuries.

Utah already had added transfer quarterback Devon Dampier, who started during the 2024 season at New Mexico.

Rising's 53 career passing touchdowns ranked fourth all-time at Utah.