Earlier this offseason, the Houston Texans saw veteran defensive back Ronald Darby make the shocking decision to retire from the NFL after signing him to a one-year deal in free agency.
The Texans didn’t panic, and instead worked out several players to fill Darby’s spot, ultimately settling on Damon Arnette Jr.
At the drop of a hat, players can decide to hang up their cleats, as we saw with another former Texan, wide receiver Chris Conley, who played 10 years in the league. On Monday, a former Texan defender, who played in Houston last season, decided to call it a career.
Ex-Texans DT Khalil Davis Decides to Give Up Pro Football Career
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, former Texans defensive lineman Khalil Davis, who was a free agent, has decided to retire.
Free agent DT Khalil Davis has decided to retire, per his agent @djackson_legacy.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) July 21, 2025
Davis, 28, a draft pick by the Bucs in 2020, recently played for the Texans and 49ers, who traded for him at last year’s deadline. He has 46 tackles (10 for loss) and three sacks. pic.twitter.com/hskuGEMDax
Davis joined the Texans in August 2023 after playing in the USFL with the Birmingham Stallions. With the Stallions, the veteran defensive lineman racked up 29 total tackles and a sack in nine games.
With that performance in the USFL, Davis was able to parlay that into another NFL opportunity in Houston. The 6-foot-2, 315-pound defender didn’t make the Texans’ initial 53-man roster out of preseason, but they immediately signed him to the practice squad.
From there, the Texans activated Davis from the practice squad in late September in the 2023 season, where he appeared in 15 games (one start). Davis racked up 32 combined tackles, six QB hits, six tackles for loss, two pass deflections, and a forced fumble.
The veteran lineman was signed to a one-year extension following the 2023 season and played in nine games last year. However, the Texans parted ways with Davis, trading him to the San Francisco 49ers at the trade deadline.
The ex-Texan didn’t do much in his short stint with the 49ers, recording three tackles in three games. He only played 37 defensive snaps in San Francisco.
The 28-year-old Davis struggled to get his career off the ground as a sixth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but a stint in the USFL helped him find his way to Houston, which ended up being his best year in the NFL.