NFL Spin Zone
Fansided

San Francisco 49ers: Why is Patrick Willis retiring?

By Brian Spaen

facebooktwitterreddit

The San Francisco 49ers continue to have a wild offseason, but the news of Patrick Willis’ shocking retirement could be the biggest. The star linebacker has just turned 30, so why is he deciding to retire now?

Before the news came out today, Willis was on track to get back on the field at 100 percent. He revealed that a toe injury was holding him back in his last few seasons, and after six games in the 2014 campaign, he had surgery on it.

More from San Francisco 49ers

That ended Willis’ season and kept him from making the Pro Bowl. The linebacker made the Pro Bowl in his first seven seasons. He told Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area that he would be coming back and could “have five or six more great years of football left.”

"“To most, it probably looked like, ‘Man, Willis is losing a step,’” he said. “But I promise you, physically and mentally, I’m just as good now as I was early on. But unfortunately the one thing I needed most to make me who I am are my feet. My left side, without a big toe, it’s like trying to grab without a thumb. You just can’t do it.”"

Unfortunately, that doesn’t look to be the case. Now people are left wondering why the tremendous linebacker is calling it a career this early.

The easiest scenario is the toe injury. Even after surgery, perhaps he would never be back to full strength. That’s certainly different from his mindset when he believed he would be “bigger and better.” After going through rehab, maybe it just wasn’t worth the risk of getting injured again.

If that’s the conclusion, it’s still puzzling because reports were coming out that Willis was doing fine in rehab.

Some fans will likely just complain that because of all the BS that’s been going on this offseason, Willis didn’t want to be involved with the new-look 49ers beginning next year. That may have played a role, but he could always express his interest on being traded instead of leaving football for good.

A more likely scenario is that he’s received a religious awakening. On Willis’ social media accounts, he’s always been the inspirational type. During this offseason, he’s been throwing in more bible verses as well. Perhaps he’s taken it a step further. Bay Area Sports Guy reports that Willis is putting away football because of this.

Here’s what Willis said on Sunday about his religious tweets (via Whosay).

"Good morning to everybody! If you have been watching the videos that I have been posting then you might understand the reason behind my postings…..it’s not about a religion and or saying someone else is wrong for believing in what you choose…I’m rather sharing to help you become …….so when you ask me why and how my simple response is you can’t have one without the other there are levels to this “I have come to do the work”"

Maybe the linebacker, regardless of how good he was in the NFL, found the next thing he wanted to do in his life and is ready for the next chapter — helping people. Even if that means leaving with two years and $50 million left on his contract. It certainly puts the 49ers in a rough situation, but they will gain a little over $7.42 million in their salary cap this year.

Whatever the real case is, it was a joy to watch Willis play in his eight seasons in the NFL.

Next: Would 49ers drafting Maxx Williams be too high?

More from NFL Spin Zone