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After seven years in the NFL, followed by a one-year hiatus, Matt Breida is officially retiring. The Georgia Southern alum entered the league as an undrafted running back with the San Francisco 49ers in 2017, but most recently was a member of the New York Giants.
Breida, 30, decided to retire after reportedly turning down a workout invite from the Miami Dolphins, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported. He previously spent one year with the Dolphins in 2020 after being traded by the 49ers.
Breida ends his career with 2,652 rushing yards on 4.6 yards per carry and 15 total touchdowns. Most of that production came with San Francisco, with whom he burst onto the scene as a rookie. Despite never entering the season as the 49ers’ starting running back, Breida consistently topped the depth chart as injuries plagued the backfield.
After his stints with the 49ers and Dolphins, Breida landed with the Buffalo Bills in 2021. He only appeared in nine games, but impressed in his limited opportunities behind Devin Singletary and Zack Moss. Breida followed former Bills general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll to the Giants in the following offseason.
Following his two-year run with the Giants, Breida returned to the 49ers late in the 2024 offseason. He appeared in a few preseason games with the team but was ultimately released during final roster cuts.
Despite his previous success with the 49ers, Matt Breida could not get lightning to strike twice in 2024. He attempted to rejoin the team under much different circumstances, with Christian McCaffrey leading a backfield that also included Jordan Mason, Elijah Mitchell, Patrick Taylor Jr. and Isaac Guerendo.
Mason and Mitchell are now gone, but the other three remain in San Francisco’s loaded backfield. The 49ers added another young talent in the 2025 NFL Draft, taking Jordan James in the fourth round. Injuries forced them to dig even deeper, with Ameer Abdullah, Jeff Wilson Jr. and Corey Kiner joining the offseason roster.
With six running backs currently in the locker room, the 49ers have to cut at least three before Week 1. Abdullah, Wilson and Kiner are the clear leading cut candidates, but neither Taylor nor Guerendo can consider themselves safe, despite performing well in 2024.
San Francisco hopes to have McCaffrey back to full capacity in 2025, but his situation remains vague. The injury-prone veteran appeared in just four games in 2024 while dealing with a combination of Achilles and knee issues.
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