T
he San Francisco 49ers are knee deep in the offseason, hard at work on building a roster worthy of competing for a Super Bowl in 2026. Already making a plethora of moves, the offseason so far has been a successful one for the 49ers, adding multiple positions of need. But in the midst of all the additions, the 49ers did suffer a relatively fatal blow to their personnel earlier this week.
On Thursday, March 12, 49ers edge rusher Bryce Huff announced his retirement on social media after six seasons in the NFL at the age of 27. Huff, who started his career with the New York Jets before spending one season each with the Philadelphia Eagles and the 49ers, is retiring in order to start his own company that focuses on lithium-ion battery technology. Losing Huff is big for the 49ers, who will now need to find another edge rusher to not only replace him, but give the team more depth on the defensive line.
Huff’s Retirement
Making the shock announcement via a video on his Instagram account, Huff leaves the 49ers after playing in 15 games with eight starts, and recording four sacks along with two forced fumbles. A rising star in the league, Huff walks away looking to add more to his life than just playing football.
“Football has been my entire life,” Huff said via his IG video. “I’ve 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.”
The name of the company that Huff is starting is called Naberstone, whose mission is to build lithium-ion batteries that are more sustainable since they carry a heavy fire risk. A graduate of the University of Memphis, Huff majored in interdisciplinary studies but is eager to apply his skills in tech to the real world.
Huff’s Career
Prior to his career in the NFL, Huff was a standout at Memphis from 2016-19, earning several awards such as being a two-time second-team All-AAC selection in 2018 and ’19. And while he led the Tigers in sacks in each of his final two seasons, he went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft, ultimately signing with the Jets.
His first four seasons with the Jets saw him contribute in a supporting role but in 2023, Huff broke out– recording a career high of 10 sacks and helping the Jets’ defense finish among the top half of the league. Traded to the Eagles ahead of the 2024 season, Huff struggled to adjust to his new team, finishing with only 2.5 sacks but won a Super Bowl at the end of the season. After he announced his retirement, the 49ers released a statement thanking him for his contributions in 2025 as well as wishing him the best in his future endeavors.
“San Francisco 49ers DL Bryce Huff informed the team he plans to retire from the National Football League,” the team wrote on social media. “We would like to thank Bryce for his contributions throughout the 2025 season and we wish him the best.”
49ers Defensive Lineman Announces Retirement from NFL