DE Bryce Huff stunned the NFL world when he announced his retirement at just 27 years old, walking away from more than $17 million left on his contract with the San Francisco 49ers.
After signing a three-year, $51.1 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024 and later being traded to San Francisco, Bryce Huff chose to step away from football for a new business mission centered on lithium-ion fire safety.
DE Bryce Huff Leaves $17M Behind
The decision came as a surprise because DE Bryce Huff still had one full year remaining on his deal. Reports showed he was set to earn roughly $17 million in 2026, money the 49ers will now save against the salary cap.
Huff made his name as one of the league’s more productive edge rushers after going undrafted out of Memphis. His breakout year came with the New York Jets in 2023, when he recorded 10 sacks.
That performance led to a lucrative move to Philadelphia, where DE Bryce Huff signed a contract worth $51.1 million in 2024, one of the biggest deals ever for an undrafted non-quarterback defender.
However, his time with the Eagles did not go as planned.
A wrist injury limited his impact, and he was later listed inactive for the Super Bowl. Philadelphia then traded DE Bryce Huff to the 49ers for a fifth-round pick, reuniting him with Robert Saleh, who previously coached him with the Jets.
After one season in San Francisco, Huff announced the decision himself.
“I’m retiring from football,” said Bryce in the video.
That statement immediately raised the question of why a player still in his prime would walk away from such a large amount of money.
DE Bryce Huff Focuses on Naberstone
The answer appears to be his growing commitment to Naberstone, the company he started with his brother Jordan.
According to Huff, the business is focused on improving fire safety technology, specifically for lithium-ion battery fires. The product is designed like a fire-extinguisher system engineered to suppress battery fires, an area that has become increasingly important as electric vehicles, backup batteries, and portable electronics continue to expand.
Huff explained his long-standing interest in business during a recent interview.
“I’ve always been entrepreneurial throughout my life,” said Bryce. “Jordan has as well, and uh, he was off doing his own thing with college and working and building his companies and what not and I was always playing ball.”
He said the two began working closely together toward the end of 2023 and into 2024.
“Tried to get into some things. Private equity, angel investing,” added Bryce. “We started working together, we had a lot of synergy. We were able to grow our network substantially over the years and uh, find an opportunity for us to make a difference.”
That opportunity became Naberstone.
Huff also detailed how much work had already gone into the company.
“We brought on some engineers, we brought on some strong partners, and people that really believe in us,” added Bryce.
He also noted that investors had come on board, showing that the project had already gained serious support.
Because of that momentum, Huff said fully committing became the only logical step.
“It will be a bit disrespectful to not go all in at this point in time.”
That quote appears to explain why DE Bryce Huff gave up the remaining $17 million.
Rather than split his attention between football and the company, he chose to devote himself completely to building Naberstone and expanding its fire safety technology. Recent reports also confirm that Huff said the mission is aimed at saving lives and protecting critical infrastructure as lithium-ion battery use continues to grow.
For now, the former NFL pass rusher is moving from the field to the business world, ending a six-year football career to focus on what he sees as his next chapter.
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