After spending the better part of three seasons away from the NFL, former San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Anthony Davis now wants to return to the league for a third time, according to a report from Pro Football Talk.
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Davis, 29, first joined the league as a first-round draft pick of the 49ers in the 2010 NFL Draft out of Rutgers University. His first stint with the 49ers lasted five seasons, during which he started all 71 games he played. But concussion problems played a role in cutting his 2014 season short by nine games, and on June 5, 2015, Davis announced a decision to step away from football in order to allow himself time to recover from the wear and tear he experienced from football.
'After a few years of thought, I've decided it will be best for me to take a year or so away from the NFL,' Davis said in a statement, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. 'This will be a time for me to allow my brain and body a chance to heal. I know many won't understand my decision, that's ok.'
Davis returned to the 49ers in 2016, then stepped away from the game a second time on September 26 of that year, once again citing health concerns. Pro Football Talk says Davis has now sent a letter to the NFL looking for reinstatement, with one reason being the league's reported success in the reduction of concussions.
“On January 24, 2019, I read articles by three different sources pertaining to there being a significant decrease in concussions in the NFL, down by 29 percent in the 2018 season,” Davis wrote in his letter, per PFT. “Excited to see that the changes you and your staff have made to the rules, and the allowance of safer equipment to be worn has had a positive effect, I confided with my family and on January 28, 2019 I made the decision that I’d love to play in the NFL again.”
The 49ers reportedly hold Davis's rights, but whether or not either side would want to start a new working relationship with the other remains uncertain. Davis made a tweet on December 25 0f 2016 showing some frustration with the 49ers, in particular team CEO Jed York as well as then-general manager Trent Baalke and former offensive line coach Pat Flaherty.
'I miss football. I don't want to play for Jed, Trent, or Pat though,' Davis tweeted, per NinersNation.com. 'They're all full of (expletive).'
According to Pro Football Talk, Davis delayed his reinstatement request due to his of CBD (Cannabidiol) but has tested clean for the past 92 days.
“I understand that playing in the NFL is a privilege and I have matured to a point in my life where I am prepared to represent myself, the NFL, and my family with the utmost class, respect and professionalism,” wrote Davis. “I appreciate the strides the NFL is making to protect players and better the game for all. I also appreciate this opportunity and I do not take this for granted.”
MacArthur Lane, who was born and raised in Oakland and played 11 seasons in the NFL as a running back, died Saturday afternoon in Oakland. He was 77.
Lane attended Fremont High, then worked several years in a machine shop before attending Merritt College for one year. A linebacker, he earned a scholarship to Utah State, was converted to running back as a junior, and in 1968, at age 26, he was taken by the St. Louis Cardinals as the No. 13 overall pick in the NFL-AFL draft.
Lane, 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, played four seasons for the Cardinals, three for the Green Bay Packers and four for the Kansas City Chiefs. In 133 NFL games, Lane rushed for 4,656 yards and had 2,786 yards in pass receptions, along with 37 touchdowns. In 1970, when he was a Pro Bowl selection, Lane led the NFL in rushing touchdowns with 11, and he led the league in pass receptions with 66 in 1976.
“Mac was one of those guys that everybody loved,” said former Raiders tight end Raymond Chester, Lane’s close friend for 48 years. They met during Chester’s rookie season, 1970.
“He was smart as a whip, kindhearted and generous. As an athlete, he had to be one of the top ten greatest high school athletes ever in the Bay Area. He was a little over 6-1 and he could dunk with two hands. At one track meet, he won the 220, the shot and the discus, and he pole-vaulted.”
Lane is survived by his wife Edna, a longtime employee of the Oakland Police Department, and daughters Rhonda and Cassandra.
Lane owned rental property in Oakland and was a tireless volunteer for several charities.
“MacArthur would never take a dime for his charity appearances,” said longtime friend Joe Martin. “He was the epitome of a great family man.”