Add yet another young man to the growing list of San Francisco 49ers players that have retired from the NFL prematurely.
Defensive tackle Kaleb Ramsey, who the team selected in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft, has stepped away from the game at just 27 years old.
“I want to thank Jed York, the York family, Trent Baalke and all the coaches and staff I have had the pleasure of working with over the last two years. The 49ers took a chance on drafting me and made my NFL dreams come true,” Ramsey said, via the team’s official website. “Unfortunately, my career has been cut short, as I have made the decision to step away from the game to concentrate on other priorities in my life. During my time in the Bay Area, I have seen how special the 49ers organization and its fans truly are, and that is something I will take with me as I move on.”
Ramsey missed his entire rookie season while recovering from a multitude of injuries he suffered in college at Boston College — injuries that forced him to red shirt twice during his career.
In two seasons with San Francisco, Ramsey failed to see action in the regular season. He was waived last year before being added to the team’s practice squad. There were no guarantees that the defensive tackle was going to make the final 53-man roster.
Ramsey joins the likes of Patrick Willis and Chris Borland to announce their retirements from the 49ers within the past two years. Each player was under 30 years old when deciding to walk away from the game.
Anthony Davis abruptly quit last spring as well, but he’s in the midst of a comeback attempt with the team. Interestingly enough, Ramsey’s retirement opens up a roster spot for the 26-year-old right tackle.