Michael Oher's time with the Carolina Panthers has ended.
The team announced the release of Oher on Thursday afternoon, after Oher failed his physical. Oher had been in the NFL's concussion protocol since September and finished the 2016 season on injured reserve.
"The brain is a scary thing," Oher tweeted after the news of his release broke. "You have to be careful with it."
Oher also missed voluntary organized team activities and met with team doctors during the first day of Carolina's mandatory minicamp last month, but did not participate in workouts.
Oher, who was the subject of the 2009 film "The Blind Side," is also due in court on July 21 in Nashville, Tenn., for a hearing about an alleged assault on an Uber driver there.
A source told the Observer that Oher qualifies for injury compensation, but further details are still unknown.
Oher, 31, began his career in Baltimore in 2009 and stayed through 2013 before playing for the Tennessee Titans for one season in 2014. He joined the Panthers and started every regular-season game and three postseason games during Carolina's Super Bowl run.
Oher signed a three-year extension through 2019 worth $21.6 million, but played just three games into his new contract. The Panthers will save $1.6 million against the cap with his release.
Carolina signed former Minnesota Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil for five years and $55.5 million in free agency this spring. Former backup right tackle Daryl Williams is likely to start opposite Kalil in 2017, with depth from rookie tackle Taylor Moton behind him. Moton is also learning the left tackle position in order to back up Kalil.
After this week's firing of Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman, Oher posted a strongly worded message on Instagram that said, in part, that Gettleman was the only member of the organization (aside from team doctors) who checked on his well-being "constantly."
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