In early June, the Los Angeles Chargers announced the release of center Corey Linsley.
      Linsley, a three-year team captain, was the Chargers’ 2021 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee for his work in the community, particularly with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). He was regarded as the best center in football when he joined Los Angeles in 2021, earning Pro Bowl recognition and second-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press in his first season with the Chargers. Linsley led the line that year to protect quarterback Justin Herbert to his first Pro Bowl selection along with setting single-season franchise records in completions (443), passing yards (5,014) and passing touchdowns (38).
      Health issues forced the Boardman native into retirement.
      “Corey is everything you hope for and more in an NFL player,” said President of Football Operations John Spanos. “The consummate professional, his mentorship of younger players, work ethic, integrity, leadership, competitive drive and sense of humor all played a role in earning him the ‘C’ on his jersey throughout the entirety of his time with us. And as good of a football player as he is, Corey’s an even better person.
      “To that end, at a time when he and his wife, Anna, were growing their family from two children to four while with the Chargers, they still made it a priority to serve the community as passionate advocates for CASA — work that earned Corey not one, but two Walter Payton Man of the Year nominations during his career.
      “While he has taken his last snap in the NFL, Corey’s story is far from being written. We cannot wait to see what the next chapter has in store for the Linsleys, and we wish Corey, Anna, Seamus, Killian, Quinn and Ruth all the best moving forward.”
      A fifth-round choice by Green Bay in 2014, Linsley started all 144 career games with the Packers and Chargers. He was an AP first-team All-Pro in 2020 with Green Bay, coordinating the protection for quarterback Aaron Rodgers to win his third Most Valuable Player award after throwing 48 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
      Linsley’s excellence on the field is equally matched by his commitment to helping children. Throughout his career, Linsley has been a staunch supporter of CASA, a volunteer-based nonprofit organization that provides a voice for abused and neglected children who are under the legal protection of the court system through no fault of their own. Both Linsley and his wife, Anna, served as CASA advocates while in Green Bay and Los Angeles, ensuring children and families have equitable access to the resources and support they need to thrive.
      Linsley is a 2009 graduate of Boardman High School where earned three letters each---in football and track. He was a two-time All-Ohio pick in football and a state champ in the discus. He went on to play at Ohio State where he earned All Big 10 laurels. Following graduation in 2013, he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers. Linsley will be inducted in September into the Boardman High School Hall of Fame.