What's going on with former Nebraska football defensive linemen and deciding to retire from the NFL this month? First it was Ndamukong Suh, now it's Khalil Davis.
Davis turned a 6th-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft into a well-traveled career where he spent time with four teams in five seasons. While he started his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he got on the field the most with the Houston Texans.
Khalil Davis retirement marks the second former Nebraska football defensive lineman to exit the NFL in July
According to multiple reports, the former Nebraska football defensive lineman's agent was the one to officially announce Davis' retirement. This comes down just days before the NFL formally opens pre-season training camp later this week.
Free agent DT Khalil Davis has decided to retire, per his agent @djackson_legacy.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) July 21, 2025
Davis, 28, a draft pick by the Bucs in 2020, recently played for the Texans and 49ers, who traded for him at last year’s deadline. He has 46 tackles (10 for loss) and three sacks. pic.twitter.com/hskuGEMDax
After Davis played two games and recorded two tackles in his rookie season, he played one game for the Indianapolis Colts in 2021 on special teams.
In 2023, Davis was starting to emerge as a possible star in Houston, as he played in 15 games, recorded 27 tackles, 2 sacks, and even had 2 passes defensed.
In 2024, he started the year with the Texans but was traded to the San Francisco 49ers late in the season as they tried to make a playoff push. Overall, the former Husker recorded just 10 tackles and was, until Monday morning, on the lookout for a new team.
Davis played with the Nebraska football team from 2016 to 2019 and recorded 105 tackles and 13 sacks, with most of those numbers coming in his final two years at the school. He was named Defensive Lineman of the Year in both 2018 and 2019. He was honorable mention All-American for throwing the discus in 2019. He led the team's defensive linemen in tackles with 45 in his final year and led the team in sacks with 8.