On Wednesday evening, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney provided an update on a veteran defensive lineman.

Swinney announced during his Zoom conference call with the media that sixth-year defensive end Armon Mason is going to take a medical hardship.

A medical hardship means he will be allowed to keep his scholarship and can finish out the season with the team, but he will no longer play football.

Mason has been dealing with a lingering leg injury. After missing the entire 2025 season due to injury, he only appeared in the first two games this season, playing 19 combined snaps. He recorded one tackle in the season opener at LSU.

Swinney discussed Mason medically stepping away from football.

“He’s going to be moving into taking a medical. The pain has come back that he’s dealt with, with that rod in his leg,” Swinney said. “Honestly, we didn’t think he would be back this fall. It’s really amazing that he was able to really get back and play some and just be available because he was not a guy we were counting on. We actually thought he would probably end up being a medical in the spring, but he really wanted to kind of try it one more time, so he made it through mat drills… he made it through spring ball, he made it through summer… he made it through fall camp.

“But it’s something he’s gotta deal with, so he’s going to have to get another surgery. So, he’s going to be moving into a medical and will be done.”

After initially committing to Mississippi Valley State, Mason elected to join Clemson as a walk-on in 2021, before eventually being placed on scholarship. The 6-foot-3, 240-pounder entered the 2026 season credited with eight tackles (2.5 for loss) in 94 career snaps over 15 games.

In his first year at Clemson, Mason contributed on the scout team while redshirting. He then posted one tackle while appearing in six games in 2022, before not playing in 2023 while rehabbing from a season-long injury. He returned in 2024, when he logged seven tackles (2.5 for loss) in 93 defensive snaps over nine games.

Mason finished his prep career at Richmond Hill (Ga.) High School. He is cousins with longtime NFL defensive tackle and former Clemson standout Grady Jarrett, and the son of former NBA All-Star and the late Anthony Mason, whose 13-year NBA career included stints with the New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat.

“You talk about an amazing kid,” Swinney said of Armon, “and really proud of his effort that he put in. Because he’s been hurt for a couple years. And again, the fact that he was even able to get back and be available – I’m happy for him, because he did get to play some and he got a chance to get back out there. But unfortunately, this game, sometimes that’s how it goes.”