An NFL legend announced that he will be hanging up the cleats following the 2020 season. On Tuesday, Washington Football Team linebacker Thomas Davis announced via Instagram that this Sunday's matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles will be his last regular-season football game ever. The 37-year-old was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. He spent 14 years with the Panthers, one season with the Los Angeles Chargers and then followed his former head coach Ron Rivera to Washington in 2020.
Davis has had a unique career, and he's wearing a special set of cleats on Sunday that will reflect it. He tore his ACL three times, was able to fully recover in each instance and played with a broken forearm in Super Bowl 50. Here's what he posted along with the picture of his cleats on Instagram:
"This weekend will be my last regular season football game ever. @mache275 help me go down memory lane and reflect on a few things that I've been able to accomplish over my 16 (years) of being in the NFL. Sometimes things can happen that cause you to feel unworthy, just know that No man can steal what God had already planned for your life! I'm extremely blessed and thankful for every opportunity that I've earned because nothing is ever given to you! You work your butt off and you pray that God's plan aligns with yours!"
Davis was named to the Pro Bowl in three straight seasons from 2015-17, was a first-team All-Pro in 2015 and also won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2014. He was a great example on and off the field and the definition of an iron man that toughed out an illustrious career.
Washington will represent the NFC East in the playoffs if they defeat the Eagles on Sunday, so Davis could get another chance to play some postseason football. In 199 career games, he has recorded 1,216 combined tackles, 29 sacks, 18 forced fumbles and 13 interceptions.
