Jon Feliciano has been mulling retirement for a while now, and he opted to make it official entering 2025... with a catch.
Veteran offensive lineman Jon Feliciano hinted he was likely going to retire once the 2024 campaign concluded, revealing such in the wake of the San Francisco 49ers' Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in February of that year.
Turns out, he kept to that word.
Only weeks removed from the Niners' 2024 conclusion, Feliciano announced on social media (with some NSFW text) he was stepping away from football:
🫡🫡 pic.twitter.com/QO1Q8ZmIzD
— Jonathan Feliciano (@MongoFeliciano) February 20, 2025
"After months of weighing my options, I realized I had to leave the game," Feliciano said in the post. "The fire is still there, but I know I can’t last a full season and can’t bring myself to let people down."
Feliciano, 33 years old, spent two seasons with San Francisco, coming aboard as a free-agent pickup in 2023 before missing all of 2024 because of a knee injury.
His tenure with the 49ers wasn't without controversy, though, especially after he publicly called out fellow offensive lineman Spencer Burford for gaffes made in the Super Bowl.
While Feliciano apologized shortly thereafter, the action certainly stained his reputation among the fanbase.
That said, would there be an opening for the versatile lineman if the opportunity arose?
Jon Feliciano tells 49ers, Bills to call him for a 'playoff run'
Feliciano didn't completely absolve himself from playing football again.
At the tail end of his social media post, he singled out both the Niners and Buffalo Bills (he spent three seasons there) as teams who have permission to reach out to him late in 2025.
"Buffalo or SF, I'll be ready for a playoff run in December if you need me," Feliciano included in his retirement post.
With San Francisco expecting to reinforce and potentially overhaul its offensive line this offseason, it's fair to wonder if Feliciano would even be someone general manager John Lynch and Co. call in a pinch, although it's certainly possible if the need arises late in the year.
That's a question for another time, however.
Meanwhile, one can hope Feliciano finds all the enjoyment possible in retirement.