In a surprising move, the San Francisco 49ers’ star defensive end, Bryce Huff, has announced his retirement. He is only 27 years old and shared his decision via an Instagram post on Friday.

“I'm building a company called Naberstone. Lithium-iron batteries power the modern world, but they carry a fire risk. We’re building safety infrastructure specifically for that problem. It's a mission that will save lives and protect critical infrastructure as battery technology continues to scale,” he said. 

It all started when he was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles after winning the Super Bowl. However, his time in the 49ers wasn't easy. He spent multiple weeks on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury. He also had a torn ligament in his wrist. Eventually, it forced him to reevaluate his priorities and set him on a different path.

“Through all of it, I realized something: Football has been my entire life. I played ever since I was 4 years old, but at 27 years old, I know I’m capable of giving the world more than just football,” Huff shared. 

Bryce has been working on this project alongside his brother. They've posted a few videos on their Instagram in the last 24 hours, but they've been working on it behind the scenes. During Super Bowl Week in San Francisco, the brothers networked with some of the top tech executives in Silicon Valley.

An Abrupt End to a Solid Career

Huff, a Memphis student, remained an undrafted free agent until the New York Jets picked him in 2020. He spent four seasons with the Jets and gave his career-best performance in the 2023 season with 10 sacks and 29 tackles, out of which 19 were solo. 

Then the Philadelphia Eagles offered him a $51.1 million contract for three years in 2024. In the 12 games he played with the Eagles, Huff made 13 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and recorded one forced fumble. However, he missed out on playing in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs due to a wrist injury.

Huff was traded to the 49ers in return for a fifth-round draft pick in the 2025 season, his last one.  He wrapped up his career with 30 tackles, four sacks, and two forced fumbles with the 49ers. 

Although Huff’s NFL career lasted for only six seasons, he did exceptionally well as a former undrafted player. Were you surprised at his decision?

Read more at the Cleveland Browns Community!

Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar