San Francisco 49ers defensive end Bryce Huff is calling it a career at 27.
The pass-rusherannounced his retirement Thursdayafter six NFL seasons spent with three different teams, which included a title with the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. The decision is a surprise, but even more surprising is Huff's reason for hanging up his cleats.
In his retirement announcement, Huff said he is founding a company called Naberstone, whose mission is to build infrastructure to combat lithium-ion battery fires, which can be substantially more dangerous than normal fires.
His explanation:
"It's time for the next chapter of my life. I'm building a company called Naberstone. Lithium-ion batteries power the modern world but they carry a fire risk that current suppression technology was never designed to solve. We're building safety infrastructure specifically for that problem. Proprietary suppression systems, advanced detection technology and containment built for lithium-ion battery events.
"This mission will save lives and protect critical infrastructure as battery technology continues to scale. I can't ask the people who believe in this mission to go all in if I'm not willing to do the same. Football gave me everything and now it's time for me to give everything to something new."
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In a world where most early retirements are due to injury or a changed relationship with the sport of football, that's a new one.
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Naberstone already has a post up of Huff in action alongside co-founder and older brother Jordan Huff.
The Niners later confirmed they had received notice Huff intends to retire and wished him well, thanking him for his contributions during the 2025 season.
PerOverTheCap, Huff made $40.5 million from NFL contracts in his career and was under contract for one more season in 2026. He began his career as an undrafted free agent with the New York Jets in 2020 and worked his way up to starter.
Huff left the Jets for a three-year, $51 million contract with the Eagles, but injuries limited his lone season in Philadelphia. He was inactive for the team's Super Bowl win andit traded him to the Niners the following offseason.
Huff spent part of his retirement announcement unpacking the experience, and how it led to him thinking about leaving football:
"Early on, I let things affect how I approach my work and by the time I got my mind right, I tore a ligament in my wrist. That injury forced me to step back and really evaluate what mattered in my life. That led me to San Francisco where I was able to reset in the system I understood with a group of guys I respected. We battled through injuries, fought our way into the playoffs and gave everything we had.
"Through all of it, I realized something. Football has been my entire life. I played since I was four years old, but at 27 years old, I know I'm capable of giving the world more than just football. The game taught me perseverance, it taught me discipline, it taught me how to lead and how to find a way forward when things feel impossible."
The retirement leaves the Niners with a need at defensive end, though they addressed linebacker on Thursday bylanding former standout Dre Greenlaw on a one-year, $7.5 million deal.