Robbie Short

Yale football captain Kyle Mullen ’19 is no longer a member of the team, Yale Director of Sports Publicity Steve Conn told the News in a statement on Tuesday night.

Mullen withdrew from the University for personal reasons earlier this summer, according to a senior on the football team who asked to remain anonymous. Assistant University Registrar Michael Corsetti confirmed on Wednesday that Mullen is not enrolled at Yale.

Mullen did not respond to phone calls and text messages requesting comment. And head coach Tony Reno did not return calls to his office on Tuesday.

A defensive lineman, Mullen was named team captain in November after starting all 10 of Yale’s games as a junior. He earned second-team all-Ivy honors last year, making 11 tackles for a loss for the Ivy League–champion Bulldogs. The year before, Mullen led the Yale defense in both sacks and tackles for a loss.

With nearly half of Yale’s defensive starters graduating last year, Mullen was expected to be a source of continuity for the Bulldog defense, as the team seeks to repeat as league champion for the first time in 37 years.

Yale sports teams traditionally name just one captain, meaning that Mullen’s abrupt departure will leave a void at least for now. The senior told the News that the team has yet to name a new captain, but that several players have taken on more of a leadership role in Mullen’s absence.

The Bulldogs were picked to finish first in the conference in the Ivy League Preseason Media Poll. Yale will travel to Holy Cross on Sept. 15 for the season opener.

Joey Kamm | joseph.kamm@yale.edu