Minnesota Vikings tight end Ben Ellefson, citing injuries, retired from football on Thursday after three NFL seasons.

Ellefson, 26, appeared in four games with one start for the Vikings last season, when he had three receptions on three targets for 26 yards. Primarily a blocking tight end and special teams player, he was placed on injured reserve in October and was unable to return to action.

"Injuries are part of the game and although they are a big reason for me moving on, I am fortunate to be in a spot where I can still walk away from the game as a player, ready to tackle whatever is next in my life," Ellefson wrote on his Instagram account.

For his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2020) and Minnesota (2021-22), Ellefson totaled 16 games (five starts) with four receptions on eight targets for 36 yards. Each season ended on the injured reserve list.

Ellefson, a native of Hawley, Minn., played at North Dakota State and signed with Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He signed with the Vikings after the Jaguars released him in September 2021.

"Thank you football for the people you've brought into my life and the opportunities you've given me to pursue my dreams to the fullest," Ellefson wrote. "I've been blessed on my path to have people who believed in me, which has drowned out those who doubted. So, thank you believers, for the chances you've taken on me, helping and supporting me in my drive to give this game all I could and to reach my fullest potential. The list is long and I am fortunate.

"Everybody's story is different, and I'm proud to say I've given the game of football everything I have."

--Field Level Media