ASHBURN, Virginia – Washington Football Team linebacker Thomas Davis Sr. will retire at the end of this season, he said in an Instagram post.
Washington (6-9) can extend Davis’ final season by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles and beating NFC East on Sunday.
Davis, 37, played 16 years in the NFL – the first 14 with Carolina and the last two with Los Angeles Chargers and Washington.
Davis served mainly as a reserve in Washington this season. He played in seven games and received 132 clicks of scrimmage, according to the ESPN Stats & Information survey. Washington coach Ron Rivera hired him because of Davis’s leadership and his familiarity with what Rivera wanted from his players.
Rivera trusted Davis because of how he played for him in Carolina, where he played the Pro Bowl for three consecutive seasons, from 2015 to 2017. He was the team’s first All-Pro player in 2015, the year that Carolina arrived at Super Bowl. Davis signed a two-year contract with the Chargers in 2019, but was released out of season.
Davis also suffered three torn ACLs. As a reminder of how he endured, Davis posted pictures of football boots on Instagram that summarize his career. A clip has written “3 ACL Tears. 3 ACL Recoveries.” It also shows how many Pro Bowls he won. On the other hand, it reflects his victory at the 2014 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
Davis wrote in his Instagram post:
“Sometimes things can happen that make you feel unworthy, just know that no man can steal what God has already planned for your life! I am extremely blessed and grateful for all the opportunities I gained, because nothing was ever given to you! You works hard and prays that God’s plan will align with yours! “
Carolina called Davis the 14th overall choice in the 2005 NFL draft; he had played linebacker and free security in Georgia. He was considered a superior security perspective before that draft, but the Panthers moved him to the linebacker. His speed and athleticism helped him to succeed in the NFL.
In 199 games, Davis recorded 1,151 tackles, 29 sacks, 18 forced fumbles and 13 interceptions.