Thomas Davis announced in December that the 2020 season would be his last. The Washington football team released Davis on Wednesday so he could retire as a member of the Carolina Panthers, his team for 13 of his 16 seasons in the NFL.
“The time has finally come and I want to thank each of you for supporting me on this journey,” Thomas wrote via Instagram. “The Washington football team has agreed to release me so that on March 11, I will officially return to where my heart has always been. By signing a one-day contract, I will retire from the NFL as a Panther from Carolina Panthers, thank you from the bottom of my heart for this opportunity. ”
Fourteenth pick in the 2005 draft, Davis spent the first 13 years of his career with the Carolina Panthers. While in Carolina, Davis won each of his three Pro Bowl selections, an All-Pro nod in 2015 and was the Walter Payton Man of the Year 2014. With Davis on the roster, the Panthers won five. division titles, including three consecutive from 2013-15. In 2015, the Panthers posted a regular-season record of 15-1 en route to the franchise’s second Super Bowl appearance. That season, Davis had 105 tackles, 5.5 sacks, four interceptions, four forced fumbles and seven defensive assists.
Davis spent the 2019 season with the Chargers before reuniting with former Panthers coach Ron Rivera in Washington. In seven games, Davis has recorded just six tackles. While he hasn’t statistically provided much value, Davis has provided veteran leadership to a young Washington team that has won their Premier League title since 2015.
