Former San Francisco 49ers Starting Running Back Is Retiring At Age 30

Former San Francisco 49ers running back Matt Breida, who rushed for over 2,600 yards in a seven-year career, has decided to ride off into the sunset.

Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Matt Breida is retiring from football, six months after celebrating his 30th birthday. Fowler noted that Breida turned down a workout request from his old team, the Miami Dolphins, before retiring.

Breida was one of two notable NFL retirements today. Former Washington Commanders guard and five-time Pro Bowl Brandon Scherff also revealed that he was retired in a recent interview published on the Iowa Hawkeyes’ athletic website.

Matt Breida plans to retire after seven NFL seasons. Was recently asked by Miami to workout and declined.

Known for his top-end speed, Breida registered 2,652 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, mostly with San Francisco. https://t.co/Bx1DGWryvW pic.twitter.com/8P5Q8X5jxH

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 14, 2025

Matt Breida joined the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2017, rushing for 465 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. He had a career year in 2018, recording 814 rushing yards, three touchdowns and 1,075 total yards of offense.

Breida and Raheem Mostert formed a potent rushing duo during the 2019 season, as the 49ers rode their powerful ground game and stingy defense to a 13-3 record and Super Bowl 54 appearance. They fell 31-31 to the Kansas City Chiefs, with Breida getting just nine carries in the 49ers’ three postseason games.

With Mostert emerging as the new RB1 in San Francisco, the 49ers traded Breida to the Miami Dolphins at the 2020 NFL Draft. Breida struggled in his one year as a Dolphin, logging 254 rushing yards and no touchdowns in 12 games.

Breida, who rushed for 2,652 yards and nine touchdowns in his career, spent one season with the Buffalo Bills (2021) before joining the New York Giants in 2022.

Matt Breida Finished His Career With The New York Giants

Breida spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Giants, serving as an understudy to superstar Saquon Barkley. The ex-49ers standout rushed for 371 yards and two touchdowns in two seasons with the NFC East club.

The 49ers signed Breida after training camp last year, but he was released as part of the final roster cuts.

Also Read: 5-Time Pro Bowl Offensive Superstar Announces His Shocking Retirement From The NFL