Penn State running back Journey Brown will retire from football after learning of a serious heart condition, head coach James Franklin announced (Twitter link via Audrey Snyder of The Athletic). Brown, who was once considered to be a potential first-round prospect, was found to have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy while going through COVID-19 testing in September.

[RELATED: Syracuse S Andre Cisco To Enter NFL Draft]

Brown led the Nittany Lions with 890 yards and 12 touchdowns last year. His strong finish pushed his NFL stock even higher — the 5’11” tailback averaged 118.6 yards per contest over his last five games. In Penn State’s win over Memphis in the Cotton Bowl, Brown went off for 202 yards and two touchdowns with just 16 carries. That will stand as Brown’s final game on the field.

“I finally had the opportunity to showcase what I was born to do and, hopefully, set myself up to achieve my lifelong dream of playing in the NFL,” Brown wrote in a statement. “Unfortunately, the dream will never be realized as I have been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which will force me to medically retire from the game of football. The pain of not being able to play the game I love anymore hurts and I can’t explain how I am feeling right now.”

We here at PFR wish Brown the best in retirement.