Redskins' Vernon Davis announces retirement in Super Bowl sketch

After being introduced as one of the members of former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski's "retirement crew," Davis - in floral swim trunks and a white T-shirt - turned to the camera and smiled.

"That's right! I'm retired," he said, with Gronkowski and former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison on a couch beside him.

Davis played in the NFL for 14 seasons after being selected by the San Francisco 49ers out of Maryland with the sixth pick of the 2006 draft. He earned a reputation as one of the league's iron men in San Francisco, appearing in 148 of 160 games in his first decade in pro football and starting in 140 of them. He was selected to two Pro Bowls, after the 2009 and 2013 seasons.

In 2015, he was traded to Denver and became a key late-season target for Peyton Manning as the Broncos won Super Bowl 50.

Davis came to Washington in the 2016 season and immediately became a fan favorite. He grew up in the District of Columbia.

In his first season with the Redskins, he caught 44 passes and scored two touchdowns, then signed a three-year contract to stay with the team. He provided veteran leadership and a voice of accountability for a team that struggled to contend and then went into full-blown rebuilding mode after moving from Kirk Cousins to Alex Smith to Case Keenum to Dwayne Haskins at quarterback.

Davis struggled with nagging injuries and appeared in four games in 2019, making one start. He had 10 catches and a touchdown reception.

Even before Davis announced his retirement, tight end was a position of need for Washington after Jordan Reed did not play at all during the 2019 regular season after suffering a concussion in the third preseason game. Washington also lists Jeremy Sprinkle, Hale Hentges and Caleb Wilson on its depth chart. Sprinkle and Hentges combined for 34 catches and two touchdowns in 2019. Wilson did not appear in a game.

Tight end Greg Olsen, who just parted ways with the Carolina Panthers, would consider reuniting with Coach Ron Rivera by signing with the Redskins, a person familiar with the situation told The Washington Post's Mark Maske.