An ACL tear. An upper body injury. A concussion. A broken collarbone.

The list of injuries Elijah Sindelar endured over the last two-and-a-half years nearly outnumbers the amount of games the quarterback from Princeton, Kentucky played in during that same time at Purdue. As much as he tried to be the guy under center for the Boilermakers the last two years, his body wouldn’t allow it.

On Monday, Tom Dienhart of Gold and Black Illustrated reported that Sindelar has decided to call it a career. The once-promising youngster with a big arm is stepping away from the game without ever having the chance to show the world what he is capable of in Jeff Brohm’s quarterback-friendly offense.

Sindelar was granted a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA, but the risk is higher than the reward. And, knowing what the fifth-year senior has experienced the last two seasons, who could blame him for hanging up the helmet and shoulder pads?

In his final two seasons, Sindelar played in just five games for the Boilermakers. He was named the starter over David Blough in 2018, taking the first snaps in Purdue’s first two games that season. That upper body injury and Blough’s impressive play kept him off the field for the remainder of the year.

Sindelar was the No. 1 guy again to open the year this fall, starting in each of Purdue’s first two games. A concussion suffered against Vanderbilt left him sidelined against TCU. And in his return in the B1G opener against Minnesota, he took a nasty hit that left him with a broken collarbone.

Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

Three months after what is now his final game in a Purdue uniform, Dienhart says Sindelar is using putting his electrical engineering degree to use at a transmission plant in Indiana. The former quarterback isn’t interested in pursuing a career in the NFL.

As easy as it can be to lament on the “what could have been” aspect of Sindelar’s career at Purdue, it shouldn’t overshadow the significant role he had in the program’s transition from Darrell Hazell to Brohm. His 2017 season is a major reason behind the rejuvenated interest in football in West Lafayette.

Sindelar split time with Blough during Brohm’s first season in 2017, with the head coach utilizing the talents of both his quarterbacks in an effort to get to six wins in Year 1. It worked, with the Boilermakers finishing the season 6-6 and securing a bowl bid for the first time since the 2012 season.

Sindelar, who essentially played on one leg for the final three-and-a-half games that season, was the reason why the Boilermakers made a return trip to the postseason.

Purdue was sitting at 3-5 on the year and hosting Illinois when Blough suffered a broken ankle, forcing him off the field in a 16-10 game against the Illini and eventually sidelining the quarterback for the remainder of the season. Sindelar stepped in, completed a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Cole Herdman to give the Boilers a 22-10 edge in the fourth quarter, essentially sealing the victory.

Bowl hopes were saved for one Saturday, but took another hit the following week with Purdue falling to 4-6 after a 23-13 loss to Northwestern. The Boilermakers would have to beat Iowa at Kinnick Stadium and defeat Indiana in the Old Oaken Bucket game to lock up a postseason appearance. And they’d have to do it with an injured quarterback under center.

In the first half of the game against Northwestern, Sindelar suffered an ACL injury, a detail that didn’t come to light until Purdue’s season came to an end in December. And yet, the then-redshirt sophomore got Brohm and the Boilers two more wins.

Sindelar threw for 229 yards and three touchdowns in a 24-15 win over Iowa on the road. The following Saturday, he passed for 159 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-24 victory over Indiana. He didn’t throw an interception in those 120 minutes of football.

To cap off the season, Sindelar sliced up the Arizona defense in the Foster Farms Bowl, racking up 396 yards and four touchdowns to lead Purdue to a 38-35 victory.

In the weeks and months after that win, while Sindelar was undergoing surgery and beginning rehab in hopes of returning to the field in 2018, Purdue was reaping the benefits.

Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

Four-star wide receiver Rondale Moore flipped his commitment from Texas to Purdue. Season-ticket sales saw a dramatic increase. There was a restored belief that Brohm and his pass-heavy offense could return the Boilermakers to the glory days of Joe Tiller, Drew Brees and the “basketball on grass” style that reshaped the B1G.

Without Sindelar, who knows if any of that would’ve happened. That’s what should be remembered more about the kid from Kentucky than anything that’s occurred the last two years.

Sindelar went through a coaching change and decided to stay at Purdue. He was locked in a quarterback battle with Blough for two seasons and decided to stay at Purdue. And, if not for the running tab of injuries that cut his career short, he would’ve decided to stay at Purdue for that sixth season.

A spot in Purdue’s Cradle of Quarterbacks won’t be calling Sindelar anytime soon. He doesn’t own any major program records. The former Boilermaker won’t be mentioned with the likes of Brees, Kyle Orton, Bob Griese, Jim Everett or Len Dawson.

But Sindelar is the perfect example of why not every player’s impact can be measured by completion percentage, yardage or touchdown passes. Sometimes it has to be weighed by toughness, loyalty and perseverance.

Those three words tell us the real story about Sindelar’s career at Purdue. And it should serve as a reminder of why Brohm was so successful during his first two years in West Lafayette.