The writing was on the wall when the 49ers traded for left tackle Trent Williams. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported after the trade that Joe Staley was expected to retire. Staley made it official in an Instagram post Saturday afternoon.
Staley, a 13-year veteran, captioned the post “To everyone who impacted and followed my career, I thank you. It’s been a hell of a ride!!”
Schefter reported health concerns were the reason Staley was calling it quits. He confirmed as much in his post, writing last season “was by far the most difficult on me and my family. My body was breaking down with a variety of injuries and a deteriorating neck condition, and the constant discomfort affected every aspect of my life.”
Staley was a first-round pick by the 49ers in 2007 and he immediately became a mainstay on the offensive line. He started all 16 games his first year, and went on to start all 181 games he played in during his career. He was a six-time Pro Bowler, and twice anchored offensive lines that spearheaded runs to the Super Bowl.
49ers CEO Jed York issued a statement following Staley’s announcement.
