Northwestern defensive back Matthew Harris retires from football

Matthew Harris is hanging up his helmet for good.

A cluster of concussions throughout his career at Northwestern has led to the senior making the difficult decision to retire from football. The school released a statement announcing Harris' decision on the Wildcats' website.

"This is an incredibly difficult decision to reach, but it is the right one for me and for my future," Harris said in the statement. "I'm so thankful for Coach Fitzgerald, Coach Brown, and the rest of the staff that brought me to Northwestern and have mentored me over the last several years. My teammates are like brothers, and while not being on the field with them has been frustrating and challenging, I'm so proud of the group and what we've helped build together."

Teammate and linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. expressed his sentiments for his now former teammate following the announcement.

Harris had suffered a concussion during Northwestern's game against Illinois State on Sept. 10 which eventually led to the decision to call it a career. Harris has a history of head injuries during his time as a Wildcat, breaking multiple bones in his face against Michigan last year and suffering a scary helmet-to-helmet collision with former Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenburg in 2014.