came to an end from the effects of several head injuries. Royal had offered to voluntarily give up the last 2 years' salary on his four-year contract with the Colts in exchange for being allowed to retire at the end of the first season with the Colts. Despite Royal's official retirement from the NFL in 2001, several teams approached him about returning to the NFL including the Dallas Cowboys, who offered Royal a 2-year deal following his retirement. Although Andre Royal never played football before moving to Northport, Alabama during his 8th grade year in junior high school, he went on to earn a four-year college scholarship to the University of Alabama where he studied criminal justice and played on the 1992 NCAA Division I National Football Championship Team. He also had an all-pro career in the NFL, playing on the inaugural team of the Carolina Panthers and in several NFC Championship games. Royal returned to the University of Alabama to complete and earn his college degree in 2014. References 1972 births Living people People from Northport, Alabama Players of American football from Alabama American football linebackers Alabama Crimson Tide football players Carolina Panthers players Indianapolis Colts players