Say it ain't so! After six NFL seasons over the course of seven years, former Washington Huskies star offensive lineman Kaleb McGary is calling it a career. The former Pac-12 standout was the second of two offensive linemen to go to the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The other was All-Pro guard Chris Lindstrom. McGary played his tail off for the Falcons for as long as he could.
ESPN's Adam Schefter was all over the news of McGary hanging up the spikes after seven seasons.
Falcons OT Kaleb McGary has announced his retirement from the NFL. https://t.co/RL3AxUHSQM
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 8, 2026
From 2019 to 2024, McGary played in 93 games for the Dirty Birds, making 92 starts at right tackle. He was part of some really high-end offensive lines in Atlanta. Not only did he play with Lindstrom and Falcons' left tackle staple Jake Matthews for years, but he really took his game up a notch during the second-half of his pro career. He earned multiple contracts, but knee injuries all led to his retirement.
The two-time All-Pac-12 performer and Morris Trophy winner will not be easy for Atlanta to replace.
Kaleb McGary retires with grace, but puts Falcons into a very hard place
When we look back on McGary's career, college and pro, we will remember him as a guy who was never afraid to get his hands dirty and put in the work. It did not always come easy for him. He was often overlooked, as it took some time for him to really get things going. But when he did, he was an absolute road grader to run behind. Washington and Atlanta fans can attest to that notion completely.
As far as what McGary retiring means for Washington fans, it is tough to see one of their own call it a career when we all thought there was still something left in the tank. U-Dub has gone through so many changes as a football program since McGary last starred for them, but he serves as a reminder of what happens when you believe in the right people. Something magical is just around the corner...
And as far as what this means for the Falcons, they will have some work to do in the NFL Draft. New general manager Ian Cunningham has a grand total of five draft picks to use this year. This is a result of his predecessor Terry Fontenot trading up to get James Pearce Jr. out of Tennessee last year in a deal with the Los Angeles Rams. For off-field reasons, Pearce might not ever play another NFL down.
Add in the fact that McGary's replacement last year in Atlanta in Elijah Wilkinson told everybody in Flowery Branch to kick rocks once he was not retained, where do the Dirty Birds go from here? While Lindstrom and Matthews remain, what was once a strong offensive line for Atlanta with McGary apart of it may not longer be one. With Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. being left-handed, this is bad...
Overall, we need to appreciate McGary's football career for what it was. It was not always pretty, but he more or less got the job done more often than not, both in Seattle and later in Atlanta. This is a guy who really took to coaching, one his teammates loved playing alongside. Furthermore, McGary was a bit of a throwback player to a different time and place in the trenches. A true lunchpail player for sure.
Atlanta is in a tough spot now because it will be so hard to replace the former Washington book-end.