Now, the Trent Williams trade makes even more sense for the 49ers. Six-time Pro Bowler Joe Staley informed the club that he will retire due to “health concerns”, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) reports. Specifically, it was Staley’s neck injury that forced him to make the decision, as Matt Barrows of The Athletic tweets. The ailment become especially painful in San Francisco’s playoff run, and doctors informed him that it had become quite serious.
[RELATED: 49ers Trade For Trent Williams]
Staley, 35, has been one of the league’s best offensive tackles for years. And, out of loyalty to the team, he gave the Niners a quiet heads up on his plans so that they could replace him. 49ers GM John Lynch, in turn, swung a deal for seven-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams.
Staley has reportedly been pondering retirement for a while now, despite repeated denials. In January, Staley insisted that he would continue playing despite a slew of injuries, including a broken fibula suffered in Week 2 of the 2019 season.
“I don’t know why everyone’s been asking me that question,” Staley said. “Because I got injured, everyone’s like, ‘Oh, you’re going to be retiring now.’” He added,“I signed a contract here. I still love playing football. It’s like the ninth time someone’s asked me that, and I’m starting to wonder why.”
Staley first entered the league as the No. 28 overall pick in the 2007 draft. Despite the medical hiccups, he played hard right through the end. In the season finale against the Seahawks, he turned in his best performance of the year to help SF lock down the top seed in the NFC. And, with Staley up front, the 49ers reached the Super Bowl to cap the campaign.
Before all of that, Staley was able to stay relatively healthy and play through the pain. He missed just four games from 2011-18 and was named to five Pro Bowls in that span. Despite being in his 12th pro season in 2018, Staley graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 6 overall tackle – and that was actually a slight drop from his performances for most of the decade.
Staley leaves the sport after 181 games played, good for eleventh on the 49ers’ all-time list. As of last year, Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was the only active non-quarterback to start more games for the team that drafted him than Staley.
Staley indicated he wants to remain in football in some capacity and has discussions with the 49ers in that regard (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com). He also has media options to consider, but he will spend 2020 with his family before entering the next chapter of his football life.
We here at PFR wish Staley the best in retirement.
Happy Retirement Joe!
Will probably last 4 games by which time Williams will have allowed about 10 sacks and be on IR.
Classy move for him to let the team know beforehand so they could go get a replacement (no I’m not being sarcastic)
Class act. I can remember when the Niners drafted him. I knew he was going to be there fore a long time.
Now he can spend more time with his brother Duce.
They are not related.
They’re clearly brothers from another mother.
Nope.
drink some more hate juice.
Rycm, Wish has a sale on senses of humor.
Hall of Famer? I personally think so.
First ballot. Easily
First ballot? Not a chance. 6 pro bowls are great but only 1 first team all pro doesn’t equate to a first ballot.
Take a look at Alan Faneca, yes he is a G but he’s been passed over multiple years
Who?
Daneca Faneca’s husband.
It’s a numbers game.
Faneca should’ve been a 1st ballot HOF.
What’s hurt his chances is he played with some great players on those steeler lines..
Wayne Gandy was a very good RT for many years. Jeff Hartings had a good career. Both had 90+ AV careers. Kendall Simmons had a short career but averaged 7-9 AV a year when he was with the steelers.
This is funny
T.O. should’ve been first ballot as well and would’ve been if it wasn’t for his off the field issues that made him very unpopular by some people. Statistically, he was a top three wide receiver of all time, which also includes Jerry Rice and Randy Moss.
Yeah it’s Staley’s fault he played in the same decade as Joe Thomas, even went in the same draft class.
Joe Thomas won most of those 1st team all pro selections, won 7 of them. This is why pro bowls and all pros are horrible ways to judge players….you’re saying Staley isn’t a 1st ballot Hof cause he lost all pros to another 1st ballot Hof. Lmao.
Staley put up an AV of 104. Joe Thomas put up an AV of 106.
Staley is a 1st ballot Hof LT.
No, he isn’t… There are dudes with far more prolific resumes who deserved First Ballot and didn’t get it. Staley will have to wait if he ever gets it.
Will be and should be are two different things.
Staley is definitely a 1st ballot HOF.
Will he be? Most likely not sadly.
He is NOT a first ballot HOF. Please explain why… he couldn’t even make first team all pro when he played and you think he’s first ballot? It’s not even laughable
Lmao literally explained why he was already. Do I need to explain it again for you?
Joe Staley career 104 AV
Joe Thomas career 106 AV
Just because you keep reposting that stupid argument about first team all pros doesn’t mean it’s a good argument lmao.
Why didn’t he win first team all pros? Cause Joe Thomas won 7 of them. Saying he didn’t win all pros proves nothing. He lost all pro to another Hof tackle in Joe Thomas. Hardly diminishes his abilities, what he did in his career, etc.
A better argument would be where he ranked on average compared to every other tackle. That’s already been covered in the article.
“Despite being in his 12th pro season in 2018, Staley graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 6 overall tackle – and that was actually a slight drop from his performances for most of the decade.” Dude graded out as a top 5 or better for over a decade.
That’s like saying Eli Manning is a better QB than Dan Marino cause Manning has 2 super bowls and Marino had none. Stupid argument is stupid.
Here’s some LTs in the hall
Walter Jones 180 games 126 AV
Art Shell 207 games 124 AV
Willie Roaf 189 games 141 AV
Roosevelt Brown 162 games 95 AV
Jimbo Covert 111 games 65 AV
Gary Zimmerman 189 games 131 AV
Joe Staley had 104 AV in 181 games. Lines up very nicely compared to left tackles already in the hall.
LOL you are using this AV as it’s an actual measurement used by the NFL. It’s a pro football reference number. Staley broke 10 3 times in 13 years and was plain ugly in a couple others.
Ok I’ll play along with your AV. Over last 20 years here are the first ballot HOF.
Larry Allen 130 AV over 203 games
Bruce Matthews 210 AV over 296 games
Anthony Munoz 174 AV over 185 games
John Ogden 121 AV over 176 games
Walter Jones 126 AV over 180 games
Orlando Pace was a 126 AV over 169 games. Retired in 2009 and wasn’t inducted until 2016
Your listing of willie Roaf. Retired in 2005 and not inducted until 2012.
LOL so yeah Staley will be first ballot. Now that you’ve been shut up, I’m done here.
Good analysis. There are a lot of OL overlooked for even a sniff of the HOF. Long forgotten players like Russ Washington. Doug Wilkerson. Marvin Powell. Max Montoya. Leon Gray. Ed White. Willie Anderson.
Some had a good 5-10 year top of the line OL and when getting picked for the Pro Bowl was just as good as being All Pro. I know LT or RT is valued more than a Guard but I had to include these forgotten players for even a discussion.
Dude, not a chance. He’s not even close to 1st ballot
Absolutely
Whenever someone of his ilk retires you have to ask, was he the greatest LT of all time?
No, he’s not even close
Ok. Top 5 lineman of all time. In no particular order…
1. Willie Roaf
2. Jesse Supulo
3. Stink
4. Geno Marchetti
5. Joe Staley?
He wasn’t even the best tackle in his draft class…
Not even the best LT named Joe from his draft class…
You think Staley is better than Pace, or Ogden or even Munoz? Either your just looking to argue or just ignorant.
Any list that doesn’t include Jackie Slater and John Hannah goes straight into the trash bin.
The entire OL for the Cowboys dynasty was better than him. Never heard of recent and current players Joe Thomas? Jason Peter’s? Tyron Smith?
No Munoz or John Hannah? I know this overused but this has got to be fake post robot.
Joe Thomas, Roaf, Slater, Pace, Ogden, Bruce Matthews, Munoz… all ahead of him easily
I would also include Walter Thomas to that list ahead of Joe Staley
Lineman are hard to quantify. But anyone who watches him play knows how good he was. More bummed about losing Staley than glad to gain Williams.
Anywhere but Frisco, fans would be more bummed to learn the tooth fairy doesn’t exist, than be glad to gain Williams.
Happy Retirement, nice of him to keep it under wraps until the William’s trade.
Get out of SF before he gets she-atted on!