In big news for Cal this afternoon, senior center Mike Saffell has announced that he's medically retiring from football, with a statement released via Cal Football.
"Being a football student-athlete at Cal has been more than I could have dreamed of," Saffell said. "I've had so many opportunities to excel on the field, as well as in the classroom and the community. There are many people to thank including my Cal football teammates, coaches and staff, as well as the University's professors, our fans and so many more. This was a difficult decision but the right one for me. Although I will miss competing and the camaraderie with my teammates, I will always be a part of the Cal family and knowing that helps ease the disappointment that my football playing career has come to an end. I'm excited for my next challenge."
Saffell, who made the Rimington Trophy watchlist this morning, had played in 28 total games during his time at Cal, with 23 total starts (15 at center, 8 at right guard) over the last four seasons. Saffell was a part of the 2017 recruiting class that came in right after Justin Wilcox's hire at Cal. Saffell and quarterback Chase Garbers helped to keep the class together as recruits, and he has been a big piece of the offensive line since his arrival.
"Mike has been an absolute pleasure to coach and be around the last four years," Wilcox added. "He embodies everything a collegiate student-athlete should be. Not only has Mike been a tremendous player on the field, but just as importantly, he has been a leader among his teammates, as well as in the classroom and the community. His medical retirement is a difficult reality for all of us and we will miss him greatly, but we fully support his decision and know that he will be hugely successful in the next chapter of his life."
Saffell, a former Pac-12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year and captain in 2020, is currently pursuing his master's degree in data science, after graduating from the Haas School of Business in 3.5 years. Saffell had returned for a final year of eligibility given by the NCAA prior to this announcement.
Per the Bears' center, a worsening back injury was the culprit for his medical retirement.
"The first sign of this injury was in 2020, I had to fight back from there just to get back for the 2020 season," Saffell noted, "was healthy for the 2020 season and was healthy for the spring. I had another issue with it, this time it was a little more significant. I went all over to get the support I needed, took it to the limit, found every person I could ever need to give me the information to make this decision and led to the decision today. It is one that has been building for a while, but once we had the right information on it, it was the right time to pull the trigger."
Saffell noted that he's back home in Huntington Beach right now, and won't be with the team when fall camp starts at the beginning of August. He did seem, at least on the outside, at peace with his decision to walk away, not wanting to compromise his future health any further.
"Everyone pays a price to play this game," Saffell noted, "no one comes out of it unscathed. Some pay a bit of a higher price to play. I've paid the price in full to play this game, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love football, I love Cal. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it, and I'm so grateful that I get to have press conferences to go when I'm 22 years old, that's a pretty good feeling, I hope to get back to that someday."
Without Saffell in the lineup, Cal will look to some of their younger talent in the offensive line room to replace him. Matt Cindric has played center in the past with Saffell out in 2019, and Brian Driscoll manned the position in 2020 when Saffell went out against Oregon State. The Bears also had Ben Coleman playing there during the spring, which could be a place to slot in one of the fastest rising talents from the group.
