Marcus Davenport has retired from the NFL after nine seasons, finishing his career with 25 sacks and 166 total tackles. The former UTSA standout announced the end of his professional football journey following a brief stint with the Chicago Bears, where he appeared in 12 snaps during a 23-12 loss to the New York Jets. Davenport requested his release after the game, effectively closing a career that began when he became the first University of Texas at San Antonio player selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Davenport was taken 14th overall by the New Orleans Saints in 2018. He made an immediate impact with 21 sacks over his first four seasons. However, injuries hampered much of his later career. Over the past five years, he frequently found himself on injured reserve or the physically unable to perform list, limiting his playing time. After five seasons with the Saints, Davenport had short spells with the Minnesota Vikings in 2023 and the Detroit Lions in 2024 and 2025 before joining the Bears this season.
His NFL career totals include seven forced fumbles alongside his 25 sacks, numbers that reflect his potential when healthy. Yet, the injuries prevented him from consistently building on his early promise. Davenport’s final season saw him begin on the Bears’ practice squad before getting limited game action late in the year.
At UTSA, Davenport developed from a lightly recruited two-star prospect into a standout defensive player. He played four seasons for the Roadrunners from 2014 to 2017, winning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. That season he recorded 8.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles. His collegiate career totals of 22 sacks and 38 tackles for loss remain UTSA records. In 2023, he was inducted into the university’s Athletics Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class.
Davenport’s physical growth during college was significant. Arriving at UTSA weighing 198 pounds, he bulked up to 260 pounds by his senior year, which helped raise his draft stock. Throughout his career, Davenport and his father, Ron, maintained close ties with the UTSA football program.
“First class at all times, and what he's done for this university will be remembered as long as people study at UTSA,” Roadrunners head coach Jeff Traylor said on Tuesday. “Unbelievable career, even better human. … There's never been a time Marcus hasn't been there if we ever needed him.”
Davenport’s journey from a lightly scouted high school player in San Antonio to an impactful NFL first-round pick is a reminder of persistence amid adversity. His career will be remembered at UTSA and among the teams he represented across the league.
According to Yahoo Sports.
