Syracuse Football: Cody Catalina's Playing Days Come To An End

Tough news out of camp today as the school announced that long-injured Cody Catalina's playing days are officially over.

Syracuse tight end Cody Catalina will not be able to return to the football field for the Orange due to a knee injury suffered during the 2009 season. Catalina injured his right knee and a nerve in his lower right leg in a game at Pittsburgh on November 7, 2009.

"We were hoping Cody could come back, but the doctors have said that will not be possible," said head coach Doug Marrone. "Cody has been very important to our program both on and off the field. He was a very productive football player for us special teams and as a tight end. Unfortunately Cody now has make his impact off the field."

It seems like forever ago that Catalina came to Syracuse, so it's hard to remember that he originally came to us as a quarterback. While low on the depth chart, he contributed on special teams in every game during the 2008 season. He moved to tight end when Doug Marrone took over but unfortunately didn't get much of a chance to excel when he was injured during the '09 season. He had 13 receptions for 104 yards and one touchdown as a tight end for the Orange.

All the best to Cody, who will apparently continue to support the team in a sideline capacity. My hope is that, whatever he does in the future, Cody denies the urge to pursue more salacious career opportunities for better options.