P.J. Walker Ends Nine-Year Run — Pj Walker Football Retirement
P.J. Walker football retirement became official on Thursday, when the Calgary Stampeders said he had decided to step away from football after nine years as a professional. Walker had been set to suit up for Calgary in the 2026 season, so the move leaves the team without the quarterback it expected to have in place.
Walker Leaves Calgary Plans
The Stampeders said they had been informed that Walker was stepping away, ending a path that was supposed to carry into the next CFL season. He saw limited action in 2025 and mainly worked as a backup, then started one game and finished with 395 passing yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions.
That line closes out a season that never fully turned into a starting run for Calgary. The club was building toward 2026 with Walker on the roster, and his decision removes one layer from its quarterback picture before the new season begins.
Temple To The Pros
Walker’s career stretched from Temple to several professional stops. He set multiple school passing records at Temple and became the first quarterback in program history to lead the Owls to multiple bowl appearances, then went undrafted in 2017 and signed as a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts.
He did not make a regular-season appearance during his three-year stint in Indianapolis, but he later broke through with the Carolina Panthers, making four appearances in 2020 and playing six games in 2022 during his third season with the team. In 2023, he made two starts for the Cleveland Browns and signed with the Chicago Bears.
Seattle And The XFL
Walker’s route also included a preseason stint with the Seattle Seahawks in 2024 and time in the now-defunct XFL with the Houston Roughnecks in 2020. That mix of NFL opportunities, a spring league run and a final stop in Calgary added up to a nine-season career that spanned multiple leagues and several roster battles.
For Calgary, the immediate effect is straightforward: the quarterback it expected to bring into 2026 is gone before the season arrives. Walker leaves with a body of work that includes NFL regular-season snaps, XFL production and a final Calgary line of 395 passing yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions in 2025.
