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San Francisco 49ers defensive end Bryce Huff announced Thursday he will retire from the league after six seasons. Huff is 27.
The 49ers acquired Huff in a trade from the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason. He was a key part of San Francisco’s defense in 2025, finishing tied for first in sacks with four. However, he failed to record a sack in his final 10 games in the regular season and playoffs.
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Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff (0) against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field on Oct. 13, 2024. (Eric Hartline/Imagn Images)
“I’m retiring from football. I started playing football when I was four years old,” he said in a video posted to his Instagram. “Growing up, I wasn’t the biggest or the strongest, and I didn’t have any friends. All I really had was the game, football kept me grounded.”
Huff joined the New York Jets in 2020 as an undrafted free agent out of Memphis. He played four seasons with the team, recording 65 tackles and 17.5 sacks.
He signed with the Eagles in 2024, playing 12 games for them and being a part of the Super Bowl-winning team.
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San Francisco 49ers defensive end Bryce Huff (47) leaves the field after the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Dec. 22, 2025. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
“I entered the NFL with a chip on my shoulder, and so I signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent,” Huff continued. “Thanks to coach Gregg Williams and Blake Williams, I earned a roster spot my first year. I spent countless hours learning everything I could about the game. When coach Saleh arrived my second year, he and his staff helped me become the best version of myself. My four years in New York will always mean a lot to me. That locker room built me. During that time, I earned a contract that made me the highest paid undrafted non-QB in NFL history. I spent a year in Philadelphia where we won a Super Bowl.
“I really evaluated what mattered in my life. That led me to San Francisco, where I was able to reset in a system I understood with a group of guys I respected. We battled through injuries, fought our way into the playoffs, and gave everything we had. Through all of it, I realized something. Football has been my entire life. I played ever since I was four years old. But at 27 years old, I know I’m capable of giving the world more than just football. The game taught me perseverance, it taught me discipline. It taught me how to lead and how to find a way for it, where things feel impossible.”
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Bryce Huff walks on the field during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Oct. 19, 2025, in Santa Clara, California. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)
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Huff said he’s focusing on his lithium battery company whose goal is to suppress their fire risk.
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