At just 32 years old, a familiar face from the San Francisco 49ers‘ Super Bowl run has decided to walk away from the game. Grinding through practice squads, recording some standout moments, and suffering the occasional injury bug, Trent Taylor has come a long way.

Taylor announced his retirement after seven years in the league, breaking the news on social media. He attended what looked like a small send-off party, which also featured longtime teammate and close friend George Kittle. Their wives were also part of the celebration.

“Ended the journey w/ the same ones we started it with,” Trent’s wife, Sarah, wrote in an Instagram story.

Taylor’s NFL journey began in 2017, when the San Francisco 49ers took a chance on him in the fifth round, 177th overall, out of Louisiana Tech. As a rookie, he suited up for 15 games. He recorded 43 receptions for 43 and scored two touchdowns. It was a solid debut for a player many overlooked on draft day.

He’d go on to spend four seasons in San Francisco before his career took him elsewhere. Taylor first went to the Cincinnati Bengals and then to the Chicago Bears, where he played a full 17-game slate in 2023. However, he was destined to return where it all began, as the Niners signed him on a one-year contract in April 2024.

In January 2025, Taylor was one of 11 free agents the 49ers brought back on Reserve/Future deals. This was a sign of just how much the organization still valued having him around.

Sadly for him, this stint did not end the way he might have expected; he landed on injured reserve on June 3, ending his season before it really got started. The 49ers never revealed the nature of his injury.

Looking back at the full picture of his career, Trent Taylor built quite a resume. Over seven seasons, he appeared in 80 regular-season games, started in three, and racked up 88 receptions for well over 800 receiving yards and three touchdowns. His career scrimmage total lands at 858 yards, recorded across stops in San Francisco, Cincinnati, and Chicago.

San Francisco believed in Trent Taylor when many dismissed him

Taylor came into the league as a total wildcard. Small in stature but never small in production, he tore it up at the collegiate level, yet somehow still slipped through the cracks of the pre-draft process. Taylor led the nation with 1,803 receiving yards before going pro.

San Francisco scooped him up in the fifth round. And it didn’t take long for Kyle Shanahan to become a believer.

“I thought he was as good at the slot role as anyone that we were looking at in the draft,” Shanahan said. “What impressed me the most about him besides the separation ability is that when he did get the ball in his hands, he ran angry and pissed off. He got up the field. He’s not scared to get hit. He’s a very competitive, violent runner and those are the guys who keep you on the field and move the chains.”

Taylor struck a great connection with then-Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, becoming one of his major targets.

Some of Taylor’s time in San Francisco was unfortunately cut short by injuries. He dealt with a back issue in 2018 and missed the entirety of 2019, having had to undergo multiple procedures to fix a broken foot.

Over his career with the San Francisco, he made 80 receptions, 742 yards, and 3 touchdowns.