Mike Davis enjoyed an eight-year stint in the NFL, but the veteran running back will not make another run at finding an opportunity ahead of the 2024 season. Davis announced on Monday that he has retired. 
The news comes on Davis’ 31st birthday, and it confirms he will hang up his cleats after a full season out of the league. His most recent game action came with the Ravens, who signed him in May 2022. Baltimore moved on in December of that year, and no teams provided an opportunity during the 2023 campaign.
Davis entered the league in 2015 with the 49ers, though he only spent two years with the team. Another two-year run ensued during his tenure in Seattle. It was with the Seahawks in 2018 that Davis first received over 100 carries and put up notable production (514 yards, four touchdowns). Those totals did not prevent the former fourth-rounder from bouncing around the league, however; Davis went on to play for the Bears, Panthers, Falcons and Ravens over the course of his career.
The 2020 season was comfortably the most productive of Davis’ career. He topped 1,000 scrimmage yards and scored eight total touchdowns, helping maintain his free agent value. The end of his two-year, $6MM Panthers contract lined up an intra-divisional move to Atlanta on a $5.5MM pact of the same length. A stint as the Falcons’ lead back did not produce the desired results, though, and Davis was let go after only one season.
The South Carolina alum played a total of 87 NFL games, as well as a single postseason appearance with Seattle. In all, Davis totaled roughly $13.3MM in career earnings. His attention will now turn to his post-playing days, but he used his retirement announcement to reflect positively on his career.
“As I turn 31 today, I sit back and look on my NFL career and how thankful I am to be a part of a brotherhood,” Davis said on social media. “This game has allowed me to make a lot of friends and memories. I’m grateful for every organization in [the] NFL.”
1st ballot Hall of “Hey atleast he made it”
He complimented Chris Carson during his stint w/ Seattle. It’s too bad his 1k yds didn’t happen on the Hawks though. I wish him the best during his retirement.
Davis was a pretty well rounded back. I’d say that running between the tackles was his best strength, but he could catch and run outside as well. Carson himself was well rounded as a runner, so the two could run a lot of the same running plays without too much change. Kudos on a successful career to Mr. Davis.