FIU Football Captain Reggie Peterson Steps Away - "Football is not my identity"

G5 Football Daily Staff, Kevin Barral | Sep 4, 2024

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Florida International senior linebacker Reggie Peterson announced on social media that he’s choosing to step away from football. Peterson's full Instagram post is embedded below.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 229-pounder is considered one of the top players in Conference USA, having been voted to the 2024 All-CUSA Preseason First Team by various outlets.

Last season, Peterson became a full-time starter and earned 12 starts at linebacker in breakout season which saw him record 104 tackles – the 10th best single season total in program history.

“First, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to my family, friends, fans, coaches, and supporters. I truly wouldn’t have reached this point without your love, encouragement, guidance, and prayers,” wrote Peterson in part on his personal Instagram page.

“The last two years have been incredibly challenging for me. I’ve spent a lot of time praying and discussing my situation with my family before arriving at this decision. As of today, I will be stepping away from playing football.”

Peterson was voted as a team captain for the 2024 season and started the Panthers’ season-opening contest against Indiana, where he recorded one tackle.

With Peterson no longer with the program, the Panthers will be forced to fill the void of one of the top players in CUSA.

FIU are set to take on fellow Group of Five foe Central Michigan in the team’s home opener at Pitbull Stadium on Saturday.