Princeton’s Teegan Davis played football until his body wouldn’t allow him to play any more.

Davis spent the past three years trying to battle his way back to the field for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes after a devastating knee injury at the Prep Top Times Indoor Meet his senior track season at Princeton.

He dressed for Iowa home games and traveled to some away games, including three bowl games. His only game appearance came in the Hawkeyes’ 34-7 season-opening win over Albany last season, but he had no statistics.

Davis made the decision to medically retire from the game after talking to Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz upon returning to campus after the Christmas break.

“I never quite got back to where I was before. Thought I’d hang it up and keep my body as good as it can be and don’t get beat up anymore. I’ve got a lot more stuff after college,” he said.

“I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t make the decision until I got back and talked to Coach Ferentz that day. We talked for about an hour. I didn’t know for sure what I was going to do. Made that decision that day.”

He said he feels good about his decision.

“Still going to miss it, especially when the season comes around and I’m watching football. I’m going to miss it,” he said.

“Learning life without football now. Always been a part of my life. I don’t know anything different. Got to find something to do to fall in love with.”

Ferentz was asked about Davis after Saturday’s practice and said he did everything he could to make it back.

“He’s done a heckuva job. He’s a great kid. He’s tried to work back. He can’t get to the level he needs to be at or was at,” Ferentz said. “It’s a miracle this guy did what he did when he came back.”

Davis is finishing out his junior year at Iowa and will graduate next May with a degree in sports and recreation. He is grateful to Iowa for staying behind him and keeping him on scholarship

“I appreciate everything they did for me. They did a lot for me. Definitely wasn’t easy taking me in after I got hurt,” he said.

Davis was a 3A first team all-state quarterback/defensive back for Princeton, leading the Tigers to a 3A quarterfinal appearance. He accounted for 37 touchdowns and more than 2,400 yards of offense with his arm (1,638 yards, 20 TDs) and legs (766/17), finishing as Princeton’s all-time passing leader.

He was recruited as a defensive back, having made eight interceptions his senior season, returning two for touchdowns and 193 yards, and did not have a single pass completed on him until the 3A quarterfinals.

Davis signed with the Hawkeyes on Dec. 21, 2022, the first Princeton player to sign with a Big Ten school for football since Eric Foresman (1981) played for Illinois in the early ’80s.

Ferentz personally came to watch Davis play for the Tigers’ No. 1 ranked, undefeated basketball team on Jan. 24, 2023. Davis scored 15 points and displayed his athleticism with a trademark, soaring dunk that drew the applause of the Prouty Gym crowd, including the Hawkeyes coach.

Then disaster struck when Davis injured his knee on his first triple jump attempt at the Prep Top Times Indoor finals in Bloomington. He tore three ligaments in his left knee and suffered extensive nerve damage.

Spencer Davis, Teegan’s father, said at the time he didn’t care about football, he just wanted his son to walk again.

Davis always dreamed of playing big-time football and was ready to fulfill that dream with the Hawkeyes until the injury.

“Everybody’s going to have what-ifs,” Teegan Davis said. “I wouldn’t change a thing now. I did what I’ve always done. I competed. It was unlucky it happened. Nothing I can change now. I don’t really regret anything I did.”