Corey Davis, former Tennessee Titans first-round pick, is 'stepping away from football'
Former Tennessee Titans first-round pick and wide receiver Corey Davis, who played with the Titans from 2017 to 2020, has announced that he's ''stepping away" from the NFL.
Davis spent the past two seasons and plus training camp this year with the New York Jets, but announced with an Instagram post Wednesday that he'll be stepping away from football. He caught 273 passes for 3,879 yards and 17 touchdowns in his NFL career.
"From some time now I've been contemplating stepping away from the sport of football," Davis said in his post. "The decision has not been easy. Although I am a deep person, I am a man of few words. I've been searching my heart for what to do and I feel that stepping away from the game is the best path for me at this time. I have more blessings than I could've ever imagined. I have an amazing family, a beautiful wife and two healthy children that I look forward to spending more time with. I am truly grateful for all the opportunities that I have had and will continue to have on my journey."
The Titans selected Davis out of Western Michigan with the No. 5 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He caught 11 touchdowns in four seasons with the Titans, setting a career-high with 984 yards and five scores in 2020, his final year with the team. He left for the Jets in free agency in March 2021.
Davis, 28, struggled with injuries and ailments that kept him off the field before arriving in Tennessee and throughout his tenure. He had ankle surgery in the months before the Titans drafted him; missed his rookie preseason and then five games midseason with a hamstring strain; missed a game in 2019 because of a hip injury; had offseason toe surgery in 2020; and missed two games in 2020 while on the COVID-19 list.
But when Davis was on the field, he was often one of the Titans' best receivers. His first career touchdown reception was a game-winning overtime snag with the Titans trailing and 11 seconds left in the game. He broke free for five 100-yard receiving efforts in 2020, and his 15.1 yards per catch that season ranked No. 15 in the NFL. His 10.7 yards per target that year was No. 7 in the NFL.
Davis is signed with the Jets through the 2023 season but would be a free agent in 2024 if he elected to keep playing. The Jets signed Davis to a three-year, $37.5 million contract in the 2021 offseason to pry him away from Tennessee.
Davis is one of just three players the Titans have used a top-five selection on since moving to Tennessee. The others were quarterback Vince Young, who the team picked No. 3 overall in 2006, and quarterback Marcus Mariota, who went No. 2 overall in 2015.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Corey Davis, former Tennessee Titans first-rounder, steps away from NFL
