© Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
It’s the end of the Garrett Celek era in San Francisco. The 31-year-old, eight-year veteran, drafted by the 49ers in 2012, and the only remaining 49er outside of Joe Staley to experience that 2012 Super Bowl loss, is retiring.
Celek made the announcement on his Instagram on Friday, the same day as his brother, Brent, took a front office job with the Philadelphia Eagles, saying the following (full post below):
“I can’t thank the 49ers organization enough for giving me the opportunity to pursue my dreams and all of the countless relationships I’ve made along the way, especially my Tight Ends, thanks for supplying me with endless stories and memories. Niner Faithful, thank you for cheering me on these past 8 seasons, love y’all, Celektime is clockin out ✌?.”
The decision comes as little surprise given Celek’s struggle to overcome back issues over the last two seasons. He started the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list following offseason back surgery and played in his first game in Week 10, against the Seattle Seahawks.
By the conclusion of Week 14, Celek’s season, and career, had come to an end. He said he wasn’t able to get back to where he wanted to physically, and the team placed him on injured reserve during Week 15.
There is no indication that Celek intends to pursue a front office or coaching position, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see that transition. He’s well-loved in the locker room, especially by George Kittle, who forced Celek to stay active in the team’s warmups after being placed on injured reserve. Kittle described Celek as his best friend when asked about him after that IR move on December 13:
“It’s not fun when you lose a guy like Garrett Celek. It’s just tough on us, just having him in the tight end room, but you know he’ll be around so that’s fine,” Kittle said. “I mean Celek is an incredible person. I give him a lot of credit for the player I become today. He definitely showed me how serious the NFL is and how you have to grow up, but you can still enjoy it while you’re going along on this hard ride.
There’s not a single person in this locker room that I think I’m a better friend with than him, so it’ll be a tough one for me but it’s football and you just kind of going to move on, but like I said, it’ll be nice to have him around, just having his leadership and his charisma, he’s definitely a glue in this locker room and that keeps us together.”