CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers center Ryan Kalil plans to retire after the 2018 season.
The five-time Pro Bowl selection, who turns 33 in March, on Tuesday told The Charlotte Observer of his decision to make his 12th season his last. It's also the final year of Kalil's contract, which will count $10,279,000 against the salary cap this year.
Outside linebacker Thomas Davis, who turns 35 in March, recently reaffirmed that this also would be his last season.
Kalil and Davis have played their entire careers at Carolina, Davis as a first-round pick out of Georgia in 2005 and Kalil as a second-round pick out of Southern Cal in 2007.
Kalil spent last offseason recovering from shoulder surgery and was limited much of training camp. Then he suffered a neck injury the week before the second game that limited him to five more games the rest of the season.
Kalil said he is looking forward to having a full offseason to train and get ready for this year.
"I didn't get that last year, and I think that's part of what contributed to my injury this last season," Kalil told the Observer. "I just felt way behind, and I didn't feel as physically ready for the season as I would have liked to have been."
Kalil's future after football likely includes working in the film industry. In 2016, he teamed with Blake Griffin of the NBA to form the Los Angeles-based production company Mortal Media.
