Former NFL OT Jesse Davis Drops Surprise Retirement Bombshell—What’s Next for the Unseen Star?

Davis signed with the Saints during training camp in 2024, but the team released him out of the preseason.

Jesse Davis, a name that might not have blazed across every NFL headline but certainly carved out a tenacious and respectable decade-long journey, has hung up his cleats as of Monday. Undrafted back in 2015, yet undeterred, Davis found his footing with the Miami Dolphins, where he hammered down 80 games and started 72 over five solid seasons—a testament to grit and perseverance that seldom gets the spotlight it deserves. His path didn’t stop there—stints with the Steelers, 49ers, and Vikings followed, culminating in a career that spanned 95 games with 72 starts. His final take on the field came in 2023, a mere five special teams snaps with the 49ers, before a brief training camp run with the Saints in 2024 ended prematurely. Now, with the helmet resting on the shelf, Davis pivots to life beyond the gridiron, embracing fatherhood full-time and contemplating his next move. It’s a narrative about resilience, gratitude, and the bittersweet shift from athlete to everyday life. LEARN MORE.Davis also played for the Steelers and 49ers and spent time with the Vikings.“After 10 years, I’m officially retiring from the NFL,” Davis wrote in an Instagram post. “Thank you to all my coaches, teammates, fans, and most importantly, my family. Without you guys, I wouldn’t have made it this far. Thank you to all the organizations that gave me the opportunity to play the game I love. I’ve had an incredible ride that I’ll never forget. Now it’s time to be a full-time dad and figure out my next chapter.”He played five special teams snaps in one game for the 49ers in 2023, his last career action.Offensive tackle Jesse Davis, who last played in the NFL in 2023, called it a career Monday.

In his career, he appeared in 95 games with 72 starts.Davis went undrafted in 2015 but ended up finding a home with the Dolphins. He played 80 games, with 72 starts, in five seasons with Miami.