ASHBURN, Virginia – Washington football team defender 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 to win the NFC East on Sunday.
Davis, 37, played 16 years in the NFL – the first 14 with Carolina and then the last two with the Los Angeles Chargers and Washington.
Davis has worked mostly in a supporting role in Washington this season. He played in seven games and received 132 scrimmage photos, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Washington coach Ron Rivera signed him because of Davis’ leadership and his familiarity with what Rivera wanted from his players.
Rivera trusted Davis because of the way he played for him in Carolina, where he played the Pro Bowl for three consecutive seasons, from 2015 to 2017. He was a player in the first All-Pro team in 2015, the year Carolina arrived the Super Bowl. Davis signed a two-year contract with the Chargers in 2019, but was released outside last season.
Davis also endured three broken ACLs. As a reminder of how he endured, Davis posted on Instagram pictures with cleats that summarize his career. A cleat wrote on it “3 ACL tears. 3 ACL recoveries ”. It also shows how many Pro Bowls he won. On the other side, he is reflected in winning 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 had already planned for your life! I am extremely blessed and grateful for every opportunity I have won because you are never given anything! You shake your head and pray that God’s plan aligns with yours! “
Carolina drafted Davis in the 14th general election in the 2005 NFL Draft; he had played defensively and safely in Georgia. He was considered a top safety potential before that draft, but the Panthers moved him to the defensive line. His speed and athleticism helped him succeed in the NFL.
In 199 games, Davis recorded 1,151 attacks, 29 sacks, 18 strikeouts and 13 interceptions.