San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Anthony Davis on Monday retired for the second time in 15 months.
“Offensive lineman Anthony Davis informed the team that he has retired from the National Football League,” the 49ers announced in a statement.
Davis stepped away from the game in June 2015 to let his mind and body to heal, he said. The 49ers traded up two spots to select him at No. 11 overall in the 2010 draft.
After stating that he planned to return to the NFL, Davis did not participate in the 49ers’ offseason program, but applied for reinstatement the week of training camp.
The NFL approved Davis’ application for reinstatement and he reported to training camp on time.
Second-year player Trent Brown beat out Davis for the starting job at right tackle. Davis was moved to right guard, where he was in line to open the regular season as the starter.
But two days before the 49ers’ season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, Davis did not attend practice and contemplated retirement, multiple sources told CSNBayArea.com.
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The 49ers ended up moving Davis back to tackle, where he served as a backup for the opener. Andrew Tiller was the 49ers’ starting right guard.
Davis, 26, was diagnosed with a concussion after a padded practice on Thursday, Sept. 15. He was not cleared to play in the game Sept. 18 against the Carolina Panthers or on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Davis did not make the trips to those cities with is teammates, which is standard for a player in the concussion protocol.
In 2014, before retiring for the first time, Davis had an injury plagued season. He underwent offseason surgery on his left shoulder. He was plagued by hamstring, knee and ankle injuries that limited him in the early part of the 2014 season.
Davis also sustained a concussion that sidelined him for four weeks. Davis appeared in just seven games in 2014 after starting every game at right tackle in his first four NFL seasons.
During the time he experienced post-concussion symptoms, Davis provided a sobering glimpse of what he was enduring.
“You look out and it’s a white fog,” Davis said. “Or just having simple conversation, you feel slowed down. . . . It’s scary when your brain is not working how it’s supposed to, and the culture of this league is big, tough guy.”
