14-year NFL veteran Thomas Davis will sign with the Los Angeles Chargers at the onset of free agency, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Davis, a UGA product, has spent his entire career with the Carolina Panthers.
Three-time Pro Bowl LB Thomas Davis intends to sign with the LA Chargers, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2019
Los Angeles Chargers to Sign Thomas Davis
On January 9th, the Panthers announced that Davis will not be returning to the team in 2019 as Carolina looks to get younger on the defense. Davis’ departure from Carolina is a tough one because even at his age, the linebacker has been very productive. In 2018, Davis was suspended for the first four games of the season after violating the league’s PED policy but still recorded 79 tackles, six pass deflections and three tackles for a loss in 12 games.
From 2012 through 2018, Davis served as the ‘Robin’ to Luke Kuechly‘s ‘Batman’ and the two became one of the best linebacker duos in NFL history. The outside linebacker recorded 100+ tackles in five of the seven seasons he had Kuechly as a teammate and was selected to the Pro Bowl three years in a row from 2015-2017. The 2015 season was a special one for Davis as he was named first-team All-Pro after recording 105 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, four interceptions, four forced fumbles and 5.5 sacks. The Panthers went on to win the NFC conference that year but fell short to the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl. Despite breaking his forearm in the NFC Championship game, Davis suited up for the Super Bowl and recorded seven tackles with a heavily casted right arm.
In 2013, Davis set a career-high with 123 tackles and 13 tackles for a loss and the following season, the linebacker won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Before Ron Rivera’s arrival in Carolina, it had looked like the linebacker was ready to hang up the cleats. Three torn ACL’s in three consecutive seasons had Davis mulling retirement in 2011 but he decided to give it one more shot. Davis’ decision to return to football ended up being a great decision for him and the Panthers.
Davis was drafted with the 14th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft and played strong safety his first season in the NFL. The former Georgia Bulldog converted to outside linebacker in year two and has played the position ever since.
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