The New York Jets will not have a key player for the 2023 season. Wide receiver Cory Davis went to Instagram on Wednesday to announce he’s stepping away from football. In response to the announcement, the Jets placed Davis on the reserve/retired list.
“For some time now I’ve been contemplating stepping away from the sport of football,” Davis wrote in the Instagram post. “This 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 have 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 I have had and will continue to have on my journey. Thank you to my family and friends and the Jets organization for supporting me through this process.”
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Davis was away from the Jets on personal leave. Jets head coach Robert Saleh said Davis can take “however long he needs” when asked if the Western Michigan alum would be available to start the season. “It was a pleasure to coach a player like Corey Davis,” Saleh said, per the team’s official website. “He is a true competitor on the field and was a tremendously positive influence in the locker room. We are grateful to Corey for all the hard work and dedication he put into this team, and we wish him all the best in the future.”
“Corey Davis was a true professional on and off the field. He was a great example to our young players of how to come to work every day and put in a complete and consistent day of work,” Jets GM Joe Douglas said. “We were fortunate to have him here. We wish him the best moving forward.”
Davis, 28, was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 2017 NFL Draft. He spent his first four seasons with the Titans before signing a three-year, $37.5 million contract with the Jets in March 2021. His best season was in 2020 when he caught 65 passes for 984 yards and five touchdowns in his final year with the Titans. In 2022, Davis caught 321 passes for 536 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games.
