October 21, 2025 — Cody Teel, the 2012 PRCA bull riding world champion and longtime PBR contender, has announced his retirement from professional bull riding. The news was shared today by PBR on social media, inviting fans to wish Teel well as he steps away from competition.
Teel, 33, built one of the most consistent résumés of his generation. He captured the PRCA gold buckle in 2012 and went on to compete across both PRCA and PBR circuits, including the PBR’s elite Unleash The Beast tour and the Camping World Team Series, most recently riding for the Nashville Stampede.
A Texas native from College Station/Kountze, Teel became known for a poised, textbook style that translated into wins at major stops and multiple qualifications at season-ending championships. PBR statistics list him at 6’0” and 165 lbs, with hundreds of top-tour outs and a near-40% ride rate across his PBR career.
Beyond the arena, Teel earned widespread respect for toughness and professionalism; by 2017, reports already pegged his career earnings north of $1 million — a marker that underscored both his longevity and competitiveness at the sport’s highest level.
In 2024, Teel returned to PBR Teams as a veteran voice in the Nashville locker room after a stretch focused on PRCA rodeos — a move he described as a personal reset and “change of scenery.” Today’s announcement signals the end of an era for fans who followed him from his college-rodeo breakthrough through world-title heights and into the team era of professional bull riding.
PBR’s retirement post did not immediately include details about farewell appearances or future plans. This story will be updated as Teel or his team share more. For now, the message from the sport’s organizers — and its fans — is simple: thank you, champ.