In a bit of a shock, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Bryce Huff has decided to retire from the NFL at the age of 27.
Huff took to his personal Instagram account to announce the news. In a roughly three-minute video, Huff detailed how he plans on launching a company based in lithium ion battery safety measures.
Huff was a true rags-to-riches story. He went undrafted out of Memphis, often pegged as an undersized player even dating back to his high school days in Alabama. Huff latched on with the New York Jets in 2020 and ultimately made the team as a rookie.
After three average years production-wise, Huff exploded in his fourth season, accruing 10.0 sacks. He then left in free agency to join the Philadelphia Eagles for one year. San Francisco acquired him at the start of last season.
Huff was never able to replicate the double-digit sack year he enjoyed in 2023. With San Francisco, he notched 4.0 sacks and 6.0 TFL in 15 games (starting eight of them). He was the most potent edge rusher on the team, though that’s not saying much based on how porous the rush actually was for the 49ers.
With Huff retiring with one year left on his deal, the 49ers suddenly have more cap space to play with. The decision reportedly frees up $5.4 million for this current offseason.
Considering the extra funds, could the team look to add someone like Joey Bosa as a replacement?