As we know in sports, injuries can be unforgiving. Some athletes can get stingers that can be played through, but others can be inflicted with life-altering changes. In football, the players are putting their bodies on the line and understand that anything can happen. Martin Weisz was one of those players at Virginia.

In 2020, Weisz was forced to medically retire due to lower back injuries and give up a sport that he grew to love. Weisz came to UVA as a three-star recruit to bolster the Cavalier offensive line. Through his first two seasons, he did not receive any action, but he was part of the teams that won the 2018 Belk Bowl and made an appearance in the 2019 Orange Bowl. Although he did not see the field much in games, his body endured the pain that came with the sport. Despite his brief career, his time in football became a bridge for meaningful opportunities at Virginia and in the community.

Weisz is thankful for the support he received from Bronco Mendenhall, offensive line coach Garett Tujague, and the rest of the coaching staff, along with his teammates, who he has continued to have positive relationships with, and family. When it was time to make the serious choice, Weisz focused on his future rather than his present football career.

“It’s not like an elbow or a wrist injury where it’s something that you can continue to get it worked on and play through,” Weisz said. “I want to be able to play with my kids when I’m older. I want to be able to bend over and tie my shoes, so it was really something that was affecting me on a day-to-day basis. I was 19, 20 years old, unable to walk without a limp. There’d be nights where I’d just be laying down on my floor because I’d be in such immense pain. It was definitely the right decision that I had to make.”

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