49ers, ex-Eagles, Jets DE Bryce Huff announces retirement at 27 years old

The San Francisco 49ers entered the NFL offseason with a clear need at pass rusher. And while the 49ers had Bryce Huff as a depth option, that's no longer the case.

Huff, the former Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets defensive end, currently with the 49ers, surprisingly announced his retirement on Instagram on Thursday, March 12th.

This news comes out of nowhere for the 27-year-old defensive lineman, and further emphasizes the 49ers' need to find a new edge rusher this offseason.

Bryce Huff announces surprise retirement at 27 years old

"I'm retiring from football," Huff said on Instagram in a long, heartfelt announcement on Thursday. It's a big announcement from Huff, who's stepping away from the NFL after just six seasons in the league.

Huff played in 15 games for the 49ers last season, recording one pass defended, two forced fumbles, four sacks, and 30 total tackles with six tackles for loss and 15 quarterback hits.

While it wasn't as good as his 2023 season with the Jets, where he had 10 sacks, 29 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 21 quarterback hits, it was still a solid year.

Huff struggled in 2024 with the Eagles, playing in 12 games and being a healthy inactive for the Super Bowl. He had one forced fumble, 2.5 sacks, and 12 total tackles for the Eagles during a down year after signing a big $50 million-plus contract.

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Last offseason, the Eagles traded him to the 49ers for a fifth-round pick that could become a fourth if he reached 10 sacks.

He fell short of that benchmark in what's now his final NFL season. Huff is only 27 years old, and a success-story for undrafted free agents.

He finishes his Jets-Eagles-49ers career with 25 sacks, 108 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 62 quarterback hits, four passes defended, and four forced fumbles in 81 games played across six seasons since 2020.

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