The Mayor of Charlotte is resigning.
Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Thomas Davis announced on Friday night that the upcoming 2018 season would be his last, just days after he said it was time for him to accept a reduced role to make way for young defenders David Mayo and Shaq Thompson.
“For me, I really can’t see me playing past the 2018 season,” Davis told NFL Media’s Brooke Cersosimo Friday. “This will definitely be my last year coming up. One of the reasons is I want to continue my contractual obligations. I signed on for a one-year extension, and I want to complete that. I’ve never been a guy to quit anything and I’m not going to start doing that now.”
Davis finished the 2017 season with 52 tackles, his lowest total since the 2011 season that was cut short after only two games by the third ACL tear of his career; the Panthers 2005 first-round draft pick is the only NFL player to return from three ACL injuries and has somehow grown stronger as he gets older, only missing three games due to injury since 2012, in addition to being voted to his first All-Pro team in 2015 at the age of 32.
With 1,174 tackles, the 13-year vet is the Panthers’ franchise leader; he ranks behind only teammate Luke Kuechly among NFL linebackers with 10 interceptions since returning from his 2011 ACL tear. While staying among the Panthers’ franchise leaders is important to the 2014 Walter Payton Man of The Year Award winner, he has a loftier goal in mind when it comes to his final season.
“Super Bowl ring. That’s it,” he said. “That’s the reason why you play this game. It’s not about the money. It’s not about being famous. It’s about competing with your teammates and going out and winning a ring. That’s eluded me for 13 years now.”
He’ll have one more season to cross it off his bucket list.
