Wide receiver Ricardo Lockette never played in a regular-season game for the 49ers, but he passed up the opportunity to go elsewhere in 2012 to remain on San Francisco’s practice squad.
Lockette ended up playing 34 NFL games in four seasons – all with the Seattle Seahawks. He sustained a ligament damage to his neck on a special-teams play in November and underwent season-ending surgery.
On Thursday, he is set to announce his retirement from the sport at the age of 29, according to multiple reports.
As the 49ers were preparing to face the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII, then-49ers coach Jim Harbaugh mentioned Lockette as one of four players on the team’s practice squad who turned down opportunities with other teams.