Chris Conley, who spent the last two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, has announced his retirement from the NFL after a 10-year career.
Chris Conley, who spent the last two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, has announced his retirement from the NFL after a 10-year career. originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Veteran wide receiver and special teams contributor Chris Conley has announced his retirement from the NFL, according to his agent Jonathan Perzley. Conley spent time with five teams over the course of a 10-year playing career.
Advertisement
The former third-round pick out of Georgia in 2015 most recently played for the San Francisco 49ers. He appeared in 23 games (two starts) over the last two seasons and hauled in nine receptions for 145 yards with the Niners.
He now embarks on his next journey by pursuing his lifelong dreams of becoming a film maker. Conley will head back to his alma mater and enroll in UGA's film school.
"When I was a kid I wrote down a set of goals," Conley wrote in his retirement announcement on Saturday. "On that list was 'Play 10 years in the NFL.' Now that this goal has been accomplished, it's time to set sights on something new."
Advertisement
He added: "The past 10 years have been a dream. Getting the opportunity to play in the league was an honor and whether it was catching touchdowns or blocking for them i truly gave it my all."
"Conman" has already delved into film and content creation through his YouTube channel linked in his Instagram profile.
Some 49ers teammates have made the effort to reach out and offer their best wishes on Conley's next career.
"Con man! Blessed to be able to have played alongside you for a couple years out that 10! Blessings to you in your next journey!" said receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
"Incredible player and incredible teammate! You crush whatever it is you set your mind to next," fullback Kyle Juszczyk added.
Advertisement
Conley spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans before his time in San Francisco.
He hit individual career highs in receptions (47), yards (775), and touchdowns (5) as a member of the Jags in 2019.
Conley ended his announcement saying, "See you in the next dream."
Related: Niners Star Nick Bosa Impressed With Defensive Rookie
Related: George Kittle Praises 49ers QB Brock Purdy's Leadership
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
How long can Aari McDonald stay on Indiana Fever? Explaining WNBA hardship contracts
INDIANAPOLIS – Injuries to Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham left the Indiana Fever shorthanded and desperately in need of a ball-handling guard. Clark, the Fever's starting point guard, has been out since May 26 with a quad strain. Cunningham, one of the players who shared the load at point, has been out with an ankle injury since May 30. Advertisement So, the Fever brought in Aari McDonald on a hardship contract on June 1, and she has impressed in her two games with Indiana so far. McDonald has been key for the Fever in this stretch, coming off the bench to help Sydney Colson share the point guard duties. She's able to push the pace in transition and is tough defensively, despite her size (5-6). She had two days to learn the Fever offense before playing against Washington on June 3 and didn't miss a beat. McDonald played 27 minutes against the Mystics, making an impact on both ends — including drawing three offensive fouls in an eight-minute stretch. She scored seven points with a team-leading five assists and three steals. Advertisement Her June 7 outing against Chicago was even better, scoring 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting in 25 minutes and adding two rebounds, two assists and three steals. 'She's taken full advantage of her opportunity,' Fever assistant coach Austin Kelly said following Indiana's win over Chicago on Saturday. 'We see it every year: players go down, there are hardship contracts, and she definitely stayed ready. We always talk about staying ready so you don't have to get ready, and she epitomizes that… We couldn't be more proud of her and how she's transitioned, and how she's taken us to another level and allowed us to continue to play the same way we want to play on both ends.' She has been imperative for the Fever lately. But with Clark and Cunningham nearing their returns, McDonald's time with the Fever is becoming limited. Story continues below gallery How long will Aari McDonald play for Indiana Fever? McDonald will be able to play for the Fever until either Clark or Cunningham return, which would bring the Fever's roster of available players back up to 10. Advertisement Once there are 10 players available from Indiana's standard roster, McDonald's contract will be automatically terminated. Caitlin Clark injury update: When will Fever star return? 'We're gonna play the long game' Sophie Cunningham injury update: Fever cautious hoping to avoid another re-aggravation Will Aari McDonald be able to stay on Indiana Fever after Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham return? No. her contract will be terminated by default once either Clark or Cunningham become game-ready, according to Article VII, Section 4, point b(i) of the WNBA collective bargaining agreement (pg. 82). Advertisement 'If a Team during the Regular Season, as a result of injuries, illnesses, other conditions or other extenuating circumstances that have affected its players, has fewer than ten (10) players on its roster who are able to play, it may apply to the WNBA to obtain an Exception to sign one or more Replacement Player(s) to Replacement Contract(s) to replace one or more of the Team's unavailable Players,' the collective bargaining agreement reads. 'Any such Replacement Contract shall be terminated immediately once ten (10) other players on the Team's roster are again able to play.' McDonald is on an emergency hardship contract, which allows teams to go over the roster limit and the cap to sign players if they have fewer than 10 available players. Clark and Cunningham's injuries give Indiana nine available players, thus allowing the Fever to sign one player to a hardship contract to get them back up to 10. She is considered a 'Replacement Player' through her contract with the Fever and the league. She is not on a standard player contract. The Fever are not able to waive another player on an unprotected contract once they get up to 10 and keep McDonald instead. As McDonald is on a replacement player contract, hers will need to be the one that is terminated. Advertisement More: Stephanie White returns to Fever after taking time away for personal matter Can Indiana Fever cut other players, bring Aari McDonald back? The Fever could bring McDonald back, in theory, but it would require a lot of rearranging. First off, Indiana would need to wait 10 days after terminating her contract to bring her back, according to Article 5, section 14(f) of the CBA. The only exception to that rule is if there was a hardship need, but the Fever will not be in that situation. Immediately after her contract with the Fever is terminated, too, McDonald is an unrestricted free agent able to sign with any team in the league — whether on a standard player contract or hardship contract. Advertisement Indiana also does not have enough cap space in its current structure to pay McDonald. Indiana was able to go over the cap to sign her to a hardship, but the money they paid her for the time she was on the Fever will still count toward the cap. McDonald is also considered a veteran player, as she has 4+ years of experience, so her minimum pay structure is higher than the base minimum in the league. The full-season player minimum for players 0-3 years is $66,079, while the veteran minimum for players with 4+ years is $78,831. Those amounts are prorated with each passing game, but it still makes McDonald more expensive to sign. When the Fever would be able to sign her as a 12th player depends on when her replacement contract is terminated, but it likely would not be until at least July. The Fever also have the option of waiving a player on an unprotected contract if they want to get McDonald back earlier than that. Colson, forward Brianna Turner and rookie forward Makayla Timpson are all on unprotected contracts, but it's unlikely that the Fever would waive them. Advertisement Colson is Clark's direct backup, starting in her place while she's out with injury, and Turner, while she plays minimal minutes currently, will provide crucial depth when Fever backup center Damiris Dantas will miss four games because of a Brazilian national team obligation. The Fever also like Timpson as a development player, and she gets some minutes here and there. This could also all be null, as well, if McDonald signs with another team in that 10-day period. And based on how she's played for the Fever so far, it wouldn't be surprising if another team picked her up. Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at capeterson@ or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67. Get IndyStar's Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How long can Indiana Fever keep Aari McDonald with a hardship contract?
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
All-Star forward reportedly expects to be traded to the San Antonio Spurs this summer
The San Antonio Spurs entered the offseason focused on finding high-end talent to start building a playoff-caliber team around Victor Wembanyama. While the second pick in the 2025 NBA Draft might be the primary avenue to upgrade the roster, at least one All-Star thinks he'll be playing in San Antonio next season. According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports' Burns & Gambo, Durant told someone close to him that he believes he'll wind up playing for the Spurs next season. Advertisement Related: Insider reveals what San Antonio Spurs expected to do with No. 2 pick Kevin Durant stats (ESPN): 26.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.2 APG, 52.7% FG, 43% 3PT The Phoenix Suns are actively shopping Durant this summer, reportedly hoping to move him very soon. While the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors have also been linked as potential landing spots, the All-Star forward seems to believe San Antonio is his likeliest destination. Related: Promising Spurs news on Victor Wembanyama recovery Kevin Durant contract (Spotrac): $54.708 million cap hit in 2025-'26 The incentive for the Spurs is obvious. While Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is the superior talent, he still hasn't requested a trade and some teams now doubt he will. Even if he did, the cost of acquiring him would essentially drain out the Spurs' collection of draft picks and young assets. Advertisement Instead, San Antonio can keep the second overall pick to draft guard Dylan Harper and instead offer Phoenix a deal involving future draft picks or the 14th overall pick. It's a far more cost-effective avenue to upgrade the roster and with Durant on an expiring deal, it also provides the club more long-term flexibility. Related: 2025 NBA Draft order, San Antonio Spurs draft picks 2025 Related Headlines
USA Today
31 minutes ago
- USA Today
Pair of Chargers make the list of top-32 offensive tackles in the NFL
Pair of Chargers make the list of top-32 offensive tackles in the NFL The Chargers have revitalized their roster over the past few years, and that has started with the offensive line. When Jim Harbaugh was hired as the head coach over a year ago, it was clear the team would continue to invest heavily in the position. It's paid off and will continue to do so to keep franchise quarterback Justin Herbert as upright and healthy as possible. In turn, Los Angeles has formed one of the best offensive tackle duos in the NFL. Both Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt cracked Pro Football Focus' list of the top-32 OTs in football. Slater slotted in at No. 3 on the list after his second career Pro Bowl selection in 2024. Alt, coming off an impressive rookie campaign, was 16th. PFF's Zoltan Buday had this to say about the former's ascension during his time in Los Angeles: Even though Slater was already excelling in his first three seasons in the league, he elevated his play to a new level in 2024. His 89.9 PFF pass-blocking grade ranked third among tackles, while his 90.9 PFF overall grade placed second. Slater was the highest-ranked tackle in the AFC, as Tristan Wirfs and Jordan Mailata of the NFC were the only two rated higher. Now, the Chargers are set to enter an awkward stage with their franchise offensive tackle. The former Northwestern product is entering the final year of his rookie contract after the team picked up the fifth-year option. Slater held out of the beginning of OTAs a few weeks ago in hopes of landing a contract extension. There's no doubt whether or not he deserves a huge deal, it's just a matter of if the Chargers will pay him that kind of money. As for Alt, expect him to take that next step forward in his second NFL season in 2025, which could elevate him into the conversation of the game's best.
