Overview

• James announced his retirement via X on July 19, 2025, ending a seven-year NFL career.
• He said his knee never fully healed after a major surgery in 2021 and that he had been playing hurt since 2022.
• A 2018 seventh-round pick from Middle Tennessee State, James spent three seasons with the 49ers, one with the Giants and one with the Chiefs.
• He earned a Super Bowl ring with Kansas City in the 2023 season but did not play in 2024 and remained unsigned.
• His departure underscores league trends in medical durability concerns, rapid roster turnover and salary-cap-driven preference for youth.