Elks OL O'Donnell retires after nine CFL seasons

Edmonton Elks offensive lineman Matt O'Donnell announced his retirement from football on Thursday.

O'Donnell, 32, played 130 regular season games over nine seasons in the CFL, all with Edmonton. The Queen's University product played a key role in the club's Grey Cup win in 2015.

Thank you Matt! Matt O'Donnell officially announces his retirement after a decade in the Green and Gold! #OnceAlways #BONE #ThankYouMatt Full details: https://t.co/mQTLQPdHOs pic.twitter.com/3lJgA82upB

"To all my teammates, coaches, athletic therapists, trainers, equipment, and support staff over the years — I want to truly thank you for being there for me and each other. I had the luxury of crossing paths with some of the greatest people I've come to call friends here in this building," O'Donnell wrote in his retirement statement. 

"It's come to a point in my life where I feel I could still perform at the peak of my professional abilities on the field, however, every athlete eventually has to make a difficult decision regarding life after athletics," explained O'Donnell. "With that being said, having taken a few months to deeply reflect on my situation, I'm truly content to start that next chapter of my personal and professional life outside of football here in Edmonton.

"This city has been my home since I stepped onto the tarmac in 2012. It has seen me grow through the peaks and valleys of my personal and professional life. For that I'll be forever grateful."

O'Donnell was a CFL All-Star in 2017, a divisional all-star in 2019, and Edmonton's nominee for Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman four times (2013, 2017, 2018, 2021). 

"Matt is a true professional. There's a select group of players throughout the club's history who have experienced the