Ryan Switzer, who starred as a wide receiver and returner for UNC football from 2013 through 2016, officially announced his retirement on Monday morning.

Switzer set multiple records during his time with the Tar Heels. He holds the all-time program marks in career receptions (244) and yards (2,907), and held the record for single-season receptions (96 in 2016) until Josh Downs broke that record in 2021. Switzer also tied the UNC record for most catches in a game with 16 against Pittsburgh in 2016. His 14 catches the next weekend against Florida State gave him 30 in two weeks, which is an ACC record.

Switzer made a name for himself as a dynamic punt returner, scoring five punt return touchdowns and averaging 20.9 yards per return as a freshman, earning first team All-American status as a special teamer that season. Switzer ended his career with 1,082 punt return yards and seven punt return touchdowns to his name, both most in UNC history. The touchdowns mark is also tied for fourth in NCAA Division I history. Switzer earned the distinction of being named first team All-ACC at two different positions: as a special teamer in 2015 and as a receiver in 2016.

Switzer was selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He scored a punt return touchdown in his rookie season with Dallas, but was traded twice in the 2018 offseason. Switzer struggled with injuries for the rest of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns. Before announcing his retirement, Switzer hadn’t appeared in a regular season game since 2019.

“Unfortunately, in light of a recent injury, I feel I’m no longer able to meet the physical demands of the game,” Switzer said in his announcement. “Although my playing days are over, I’m looking forward to using the knowledge and experience I’ve accumulated to help the next generation of players through coaching.”

Current UNC Football head coach Mack Brown shared some congratulations and words of encouragement to Switzer on Monday. Brown never coached the wide receiver, having been re-hired to lead the Tar Heels at the end of the 2018 season, but thanked him for representing the program well.

 

Featured image via Smith Cameron Photography

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UCF Stifles UNC Football, Sends Tar Heels to Second Loss of 2025 Season
UCF held UNC to just 217 total yards of offense on its way to a 34-9 win over the Tar Heels in Orlando Saturday afternoon. Carolina managed just two total yards in the opening quarter and 97 in the first half, during which time quarterback Gio Lopez threw two interceptions. Both provided major sparks for […]
'Coach, We've Got a Dawg': Xavier Lewis' Unlikely Journey from Unheralded Recruit to UNC Star
Xavier Lewis has established himself as one of UNC's best players in 2026, but his journey to stardom came from humble beginnings.
UNC Football at Duke (2026): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Kickoff Time
UNC will make the short trip over to Durham Saturday afternoon to face Duke at Wallace Wade Stadium. The Tar Heels are looking to win the Victory Bell back from the Blue Devils after dropping the last two meetings. If you aren’t attending the game in person, here’s how you can follow along at home: […]
100 Years of Kenan Stadium: 'Give Us That Victory Bell Back!'
Voice of the Tar Heels Jones Angell looks back on the UNC-Duke game at Kenan Stadium in 2019, one of the best in the history of the rivalry.
UNC Football Ranked No. 1?! 78 Years Ago, It Really Happened.
During the summer, I stumbled across a graphic on social media that caught my eye. It showed every program to have been ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press College Football poll, which debuted in 1936. Since then, there have been more than 1,200 polls, featuring 45 different teams in the top spot. Timeline of […]
100 Years of Kenan Stadium: 'A Tsunami of Scoring and Defense'
Chapelboro's very own Kenny Dike remembers a stunning UNC blowout win against No. 5 Florida State in Kenan Stadium in 2001.
2026 UNC Football Opponent Preview: Duke
UNC and Duke will write another chapter in the Battle for the Victory Bell Saturday in Durham. The Blue Devils are 4-1 overall and 1-1 in ACC play on the season, having suffered their first loss of the year at Georgia Tech last Saturday. Duke fell 28-25 after missing a short field goal in the […]
UNC's Xavier Lewis, Tre Miller Each Earn ACC Player of the Week Nods
Following UNC’s 21-17 win at No. 25 Pitt Saturday, Tar Heel defensive lineman Xavier Lewis and cornerback Tre Miller were each named ACC Players of the Week at their positions. 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞: Week 6 🔗 https://t.co/zIbMJdc9Kf pic.twitter.com/BK1OK9st13 — ACC Football (@ACCFootball) October 12, 2026 Lewis recorded a career-high 11 tackles against the Panthers, […]
UNC Football Holds on to Beat No. 25 Pitt, Earn Belichick's First Ranked Win
Billy Edwards and Shamar Easter connected on a 75-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to give the Tar Heels a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, helping UNC beat No. 25 Pitt on the road Saturday afternoon. It’s Carolina’s first ranked win under head coach Bill Belichick, and the program’s first ranked win on the […]
UNC Football at Pittsburgh (2026): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Kickoff Time
UNC will head up to the Steel City Saturday to face No. 25 Pitt, which enters the game with a 5-0 record. The Tar Heels have won 8 of 11 meetings with the Panthers since they joined the ACC. If you aren’t traveling north with the team, here’s how you can follow along at home: […]
›