With Stanford and Oregon set to take the field on Oct. 1, the Cardinal will be without guard Branson Bragg indefinitely. He played in 16 games for Stanford dating back to the 2019 season. 

Although Bragg hadn’t appeared in any contests this season, it’s still a sizable loss for the Cardinal program. The Texas native was a promising four-star recruit with prototypical physical traits at 6-foot-4 and 308 pounds. 

“From the first time I met him he fit the profile of a Stanford man through and through. He can play center, guard, tackle, and we feel very good about his versatility,” Offensive line coach Kevin Carberry glowingly remarked. “He’s a big strong guy who can play inside or out for us… He plays with suddenness and quickness.”

Bragg was even named a Preseason Pac-12 Honorable Mention at his position, which speaks to how valuable his skillset was, given his lesser experience.

“I’m heartbroken to announce that I’ve decided to retire from football. This was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, but with long-term lingering and intense symptoms stemming from a severe concussion I sustained in training camp, along with mental health factors, I’m confident that stepping away is the best decision for me…” the former Cardinal tweeted. 

Bragg was locked in to be the starting left guard this season. The Duck defensive line will try to take advantage of his absence to stop the run and cause chaos in the pocket for Cardinal quarterback Tanner McKee.

Although football won’t be in his future, Bragg plans to graduate on time with a bachelor’s degree in mathematical and computational science.