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Football

Concussions end Marona’s playing career at Syracuse

Defensive end Tyler Marona’s playing career at Syracuse is over, SU Athletics announced in a release on Friday . Marona suffered multiple concussions during his career and in Sept. 2013 team physician Dr. James Tucker disqualified him from playing football or any other contact sport for Syracuse.

“Unfortunately I have a history of head injuries, and eventually they add up,” Marona said in the release. “My future is most important to me, and I need to keep myself safe to live it out. I am retiring from football due to multiple concussions.”

Marona’s streak of concussions began at St. Francis High School  in Mountain View, Calif. From there, he excelled at Pasadena City (Calif.) Community College, where he recorded 25 total tackles and two sacks in 10 games.

He transferred to Syracuse in August 2013, but suffered another concussion that same month, which prevented him from playing any games with the Orange.

In the release, the 6-foot-4, 258-pound Marona said he plans to pursue coaching football. Although the slew of concussions brings an end to his playing career, he said he’s eager to follow his next dream of coaching. Marona will work with Syracuse as a student coach and remain heavily involved with the program.



“I am impressed that he has accepted this as the ‘new normal’ and respect that he is ready and willing to help the program in another way,” Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer said in the release. “We look forward to Tyler working with us as a student coach.”





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