Former Cleveland Browns quarterback P.J. Walker has announced his retirement from the game, according to his agent via 3DownNation.
Walker is one of many quarterbacks whose last name appears on the infamous Browns quarterback jersey. An undrafted free agent in 2017, he bounced around to a couple of teams before the Browns signed him in 2023. He was suddenly thrust into starting action in Week 6 of that season when Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson were both injured.
Walker’s stat line was
far from pretty that game, as he was 18-of-34 (52.9%) for 192 yards and 2 interceptions. But, he did help lead two late drives for field goals to take a 17-16 lead (even though the latter field goal drive was all yards via the running game), and the 49ers also missed a 41-yard field goal as time expired. Still, Walker could proudly say he was 1-0 as the Browns’ starter at the time.
Walker’s better outing actually came the following week, when the Browns beat the Colts in a wild 39-38 shootout. Deshaun Watson actually started that game, but quickly gave way to Walker, who was 15-of-32 (46.9%) for 178 yards and 1 INT. Ultimately, Walker had an arm capable of playing at the NFL level, but was filled with too many mistakes. In both of those ‘wins’ with the Browns, penalties or early whistles by the official helped erase what would have been a game-changing turnover:
Still, it’s crazy to think that in all three games that Walker saw significant action in with the Browns — he lost a start the following week by a score of 24-20 to Seattle — that Cleveland was right in it by the end of the game. That was, of course, also the same magical season that saw a million quarterbacks lead the Browns, including the first heroic stint by Joe Flacco.
Since leaving Cleveland, Walker spent an offseason with the Seahawks, and then was in the CFL as a member of the Calgary Stampeders.
