The San Francisco 49ers have had an interested couple of seasons, losing in overtime of the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs before struggling with injuries and missing the playoffs entirely the following year.
Now, they're scrambling with wide receiver drama and increasingly expensive players. Brock Purdy's contract could determine how the organization can spend moving forward, and keeping him surrounded by talented guys will grow more difficult as the years progress.
That said, the franchise has had consistently great players over the years. While the 49ers try to get back to the Super Bowl, one of them from the 2023 squad decided to hang up his cleats on Thursday.
Jon Feliciano, who played right guard on the 2023 49ers’ Super Bowl team, announces his retirement — with an open line in case he’s needed next playoffs 🫡 https://t.co/BT7hnDIQNV
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) February 20, 2025
Former 49ers G Jon Feliciano Announces Retirement From NFL
In a heartfelt social media post, former guard Jon Feliciano revealed he was retiring from the NFL. However, he also told the Buffalo Bills and the 49ers that he'll "be ready for a playoff run in December if you need me."
Feliciano didn't play in 2024, though he suited up for 16 contests for San Francisco last season, starting six in his first and only year with the organization. Originally a fourth-round pick by the then-Oakland Raiders in the 2015 NFL Draft, he played for four different teams in his career with 61 total starts.
His retirement announcement comes at an interesting time given the 49ers need to upgrade their offensive line. Trent Williams isn't getting any younger and the offense failed to meet expectations last year. A healthy year from Christian McCaffrey would go a long way, but losing Deebo Samuel would obviously hurt.
Who knows, if San Francisco's interior line falters down the stretch and they need to bring Feliciano back, it sounds like he's available. Either way, he enjoyed a successful career and expressed appreciation for his time with the 49ers, noting it was "the most stacked team" he'd ever been part of.
They didn't accomplish the ultimate goal, though Feliciano and his teammates should still be proud of what they achieved together.