Riley Green Shares The Real Reason He Stepped Away From College Football
on Jun 30, 2026
Why did Riley Green pick music over football? He answers that question.
Alabama native Riley Green was a Division I quarterback at Jacksonville State University from 2007 to 2009. However, he never completed his degree and instead shifted his focus to music.
Riley Green
— College Football 24/7 (@CFB247) November 9, 2021
Jacksonville State University, Quarterback 2007-2009 pic.twitter.com/Qajg5tuZ0W
From The Field To The Stage: Riley Green Tells The Story
During a visit to the Pat McAfee Show, Green shared the real reason he walked away from college football during his junior year. When asked if it was a difficult decision, the “Worst Way” singer responded:
“Well, it was a pretty easy conversation for me.”
He went on to reveal that a graduate assistant coach pulled him from 7-on-7 drills one day during practice to ask how many classes the young athlete had “NC’ed” that semester. NC stands for “no credit” and indicates that the student did not successfully complete the course requirements, usually corresponding to a failing letter grade of C- or below.
“The answer was all of them but aqua aerobics. Yeah… but I had an A in aqua aerobics.”
McAfee clarified whether “walked away from football” really meant that Green got kicked out of school. Hear the story from the musician himself, in the video below!
@espn Dr. Riley Green 😂 (via The Pat McAfee Show) #funny #lol #rileygreen #countrymusic #football ♬ original sound – ESPN
Riley Green Receives An Honorary Doctorate Degree
Despite the abrupt change of course, Green went on to find success in music. So far, he has earned seven number-one hits, five ACM Awards, and four CMA Awards. His fourth studio album, That’s Just Me, will be released in September 2026.
Additionally, he made his television acting debut in CBS’s Marshals and will take his seat in the big red chair as a coach on the next season of The Voice.
In May 2026, Riley Green was recognized by his alma mater, Jacksonville State University, with an honorary doctorate degree. Additionally, he served as the keynote speaker for their commencement ceremony.
The 37-year-old jokingly told Pat McAfee:
“I’m Dr. Green, yeah. I’ve got a stethoscope on the bus.”
