Cody Davis, who has been in the NFL since 2013, has decided not to continue his professional football career after eleven seasons. The defensive back and special teams mainstay announced his retirement on Thursday.
Starting his journey as an undrafted free agent, the 34-year-old spent his initial five seasons with the Rams, where he made five career starts and established himself as a valuable contributor on special teams. Moving to the Jaguars in 2018 and ’19, he continued his role as a key player in special teams.
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For his final four seasons, Davis joined the New England Patriots, working closely with special teams standout Matthew Slater. Despite limited playing time on defense, he significantly contributed on special teams, logging 905 snaps. His retirement, alongside Slater’s departure, marks a significant change for the Patriots in the upcoming 2024 season under new head coach Jerod Mayo.
Expressing gratitude for his football journey, Davis stated in his announcement, “For 22 years, football has been what I have done, but it is not who I am… I have more dreams and look forward to chasing them!”
During his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Davis secured a contract averaging $2.5 million per season, and he signed three separate contracts with the Patriots, the last two of which had an average annual value (AAV) over $2 million. Accumulating over $16 million in career earnings, Davis has decided to retire rather than pursue another deal with New England or any other team, focusing instead on his post-playing career endeavors.
