Thomas Davis‘ 16th NFL season will be his last. The veteran linebacker announced (via Instagram) Washington’s Week 17 game in Philadelphia will be his final regular-season contest.
The former Panthers and Chargers defender signed with Washington in March, reuniting with Ron Rivera. He has operated as a part-time reserve in what is set to be his farewell campaign.
The 2005 first-round pick, however, was a full-time starter from 2006-19 and will be most remembered for overcoming three ACL tears early in his career to form a long-term linebacking partnership with Luke Kuechly in Carolina. Davis also played in Super Bowl 50 despite having suffered a broken arm in the 2015 NFC championship game. He made seven tackles in the Panthers’ loss to the Broncos and played all 60 of his team’s defensive snaps.
This announcement comes two-plus years after Davis’ previous retirement indication. He said the 2018 season in Carolina would be his last, but a four-game suspension that year scuttled those plans. Davis, 37, instead went on to play the 2019 season with the Chargers — starting all 16 Bolts games — and sign with Washington on a one-year, $3.5MM deal.
Davis suffered ACL tears in November 2009, June 2010 and September 2011 — a stretch including just nine games — but returned to start in all but two Carolina contests from 2012-17. During that span, the Rivera-led Panthers rebounded their operation — with Davis and Kuechly playing essential roles — and made four playoff berths. Both Davis and Kuechly were first-team All-Pros in 2015, a 15-1 Panthers season that included 5.5 Davis sacks, four interceptions and four forced fumbles.
Through 199 regular-season games, the Georgia alum has 1,216 tackles, 29 sacks, 18 forced fumbles and 13 INTs. While Davis has only added six tackles to that total this season, he will wrap his career as a three-time Pro Bowler — from 2015-17 — who helped the Panthers to several playoff appearances in the 2010s.
A larger-than-life player who I will always admire because of those 3 ACL operations. I will never forget the time when, during one play, he dislocated his finger. However, he popped it back into place, during the same play, and helped assist on the tackle. Talk about a true warrior. You will be missed Mr Davis, but not forgotten!!
Agreed 100%. One of my favorite players in the NFL. Let the good times roll Mr Davis.
I’ll remember the bunch of dirty hits, especially the one on Davante Adams a few years back.
Defensive players are allowed to hit opponents? Well, we certainly can’t have a league that permits that.
A blindside helmet to helmet where he launched himself? No that’s not allowed, and it’s bush league.
I remember that one. I wasn’t convinced of its dirtiness, honestly. He did apologize profusely afterward, so it’s up to you if you believe it. He did have one more that was actually worse, but I cannot remember who it was against. It was the season after he ironically won the Walter Payton Award if I remember correctly.
But one hit is not the same as a “lifetime” of them. It was enough to make look at Davis differently, but I don’t remember him as a dirty player.
Well done HOF,