Bryce Huff, the San Francisco 49ers defensive end who spent six seasons as one of the NFL’s most disruptive pass-rushing specialists, announced his retirement on Thursday.
The 27-year-old posted a video to Instagram confirming the news, alongside announcing that he is stepping away from football to launch a company called Naberstone, a venture built around reducing fire risk from lithium-ion batteries.
Huff finishes his career having appeared in 81 games with 24.0 sacks and earned over $40 million throughout his time in the league. NFL reporter Ari Meirov was among the first to circulate the announcement on X.
From Undrafted Free Agent to One of the NFL’s Elite Edge Rushers
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Sep 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; =Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff (0) looks on after a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Huff entered the league without being selected in the draft, signing with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Memphis in 2020.
His first three NFL seasons were spent earning a rotational role on the defensive line, but his game accelerated significantly in 2023. That year, Huff recorded 10 sacks and 10 tackles for loss for the Jets, with his get-off speed ranked sixth-fastest among all defensive linemen, per Next Gen Stats.
Bryce Huff is retiring from the NFL and starting a company called Naberstone, which he says will build safety infrastructure to help reduce fire risk from lithium-ion batteries.
“This mission will save lives.” https://t.co/h26Mukkbye pic.twitter.com/dK5VEt5akF
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 12, 2026
That production earned him a three-year, $51.1 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2024, which was, at the time, the largest contract ever signed by an undrafted non-quarterback in NFL history.
In his Instagram video, Huff addressed his Eagles tenure directly. “I spent a year in Philadelphia where we won a Super Bowl. It wasn’t the smoothest season for me, personally,” he said.
He was inactive for Super Bowl LIX, though Philadelphia defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 that February. The Eagles traded him to San Francisco in June 2025 for a conditional fifth-round pick.
With the 49ers last season, Huff led the team in both sacks (4) and pressures (46) across 15 games, playing at a career-high 56 percent of defensive snaps.
Huff’s Battery Safety Company Targets a Real and Growing U.S. Fire Problem
New York Jets, Javon Kinlaw, San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets free agency
DE Bryce Huff / Benjamin Solomon-Getty Images
Huff made his post-football intentions specific in the video. “I can’t ask the people who believe in this mission to go all in if I’m not willing to do the same,” he said. “Football gave me everything and now it’s time for me to give everything to something new.”
Huff’s departure carries immediate financial consequences for the 49ers. His retirement removes $5.392 million from San Francisco’s cap, per OverTheCap, and eliminates a $14.635 million option bonus decision that had been pending.
The 49ers now head into free agency and the draft needing to address pass-rush depth, with their main edge options either recovering from injury or hitting the open market.
Huff walked away from a contracted NFL salary with a company already in motion. How Naberstone develops in the battery safety space will become clearer in the months ahead.