After a setback in his recovery from the knee injuries that ended his college career, San Francisco 49ers running back Marcus Lattimore will retire from the NFL, the team announced Wednesday.
An incredibly talented player coming out of South Carolina in 2013, the 49ers spent a fourth-round draft selection on Lattimore despite knowing that he was in for a lengthy rehab process.
The 23-year-old tried to work his way back from the non-football injury list this season and was able to practice with the team for the first time last week, but the soreness he felt in the surgically repaired knee after the fact has unfortunately derailed his comeback attempt.
A statement from Lattimore was included with the 49ers' announcement:
After prayer and careful consideration, I have decided it’s time to end my professional football career. I have given my heart and soul to the game that I love, and it’s time for me to move on to the next chapter of my life and help others. I have given every ounce of my energy toward making a full recovery from my knee injury, and I have made a lot of progress. Unfortunately, getting my knee fully back to the level the NFL demands has proven to be insurmountable.
