Corey Robinson, Notre Dame WR, Will Not Play Senior Season Due to Concussions

Notre Dame wide receiver Corey Robinson announced Wednesday he will not play his senior season for the Fighting Irish because of concerns over repeated concussions.

Notre Dame Football released Robinson's statement on its Twitter page:

"

After much contemplation and prayer, I have decided not to continue playing football due to multiple concussions. I couldn't have come to this difficult personal decision without the incredible support from so many within the Notre Dame football program. I am extremely thankful to Coach [Brian] Kelly and his staff for the life-changing opportunity to play football at the greatest university in the world. I will continue to help our team as a student assistant and look forward to a great senior year.

"

Robinson, the son of Basketball Hall of Famer David Robinson, suffered three concussions over the past year. He suffered his most recent during spring practice and announced in April he was considering his future in the sport.

"This was an extremely tough decision for Corey," Kelly said in a statement, per Nick Ironside of 247Sports. "He's such a committed kid to everything he does—whether it be academics, football, community service or campus leadership initiatives—that he wanted to finish his four-year career on the field. He was so excited to lead a group of young receivers this fall."

Robinson would have been the Irish's second-leading returning receiver in 2016. He made 16 receptions for 200 yards and one touchdown as part of a Notre Dame team that reached the Fiesta Bowl last season. Overall, Robinson made 65 receptions for 896 yards and seven touchdowns over the course of his three-year career.

The Irish receiver's decision is just the latest in a series of concussion-related early retirements from the sport. Texas quarterback David Ash and Michigan center Jack Miller have prematurely walked away in recent years because of concussions. In the NFL, the likes of San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland and Buffalo Bills linebacker A.J. Tarpley have retired over fears about their long-term health.

According to Jason M. Breslow of Frontline, a study by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Boston University found that 96 percent of NFL players' brains they studied showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a degenerative brain condition linked to repetitive head trauma.

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.