Northwestern released some difficult news on the day before the start of spring practice.

Rising senior superback Cameron Green, who led the Wildcats in touchdown catches last season, announced on Monday afternoon that he is retiring from football.

Green didn't cite an injury to himself in the statement he released on Twitter on Monday. Rather, it's is family's history of head injuries that is causing him to step away from the game.

“Unfortunately, due to concussion and head injuries within my family, I have chosen to step away from the game,” Green said. “Though the love of the game will be everlasting in me, the love for family and health overpowers all.”

Green's father, Mark Green, played running back at Notre Dame and then for the Chicago Bears from 1989-92.

Green, who prepped at Lincolnshire (Ill.) Stevenson, had a breakout season for Northwestern in 2018 as a redshirt junior, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. He led the team with four touchdown catches, finished second with 57 catches and third with 483 receiving yards. He had a career-high 11 catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns against Akron and closed his career with seven catches for 46 yards in the Wildcats' win over Utah in the Holiday Bowl.

For his career, Green had 81 catches for 684 yards and six touchdowns. He had one year of eligibility remaining.

Green's loss leaves the superback room thin on depth. Freshman Brian Kaiser also recently left the program for personal reasons. Junior Trey Pugh, with three career catches, is now the only returning superback who has caught a pass in his college career.

Green is the second Wildcat starter to retire for medical reasons in the last five months. Star running back Jeremy Larkin left the team in late September due to cervical stenosis.