Georgia great Thomas Davis signs extension with Panthers, says it ‘probably’ will be his last contract

Thomas Davis had a standout career at the University of Georgia and, despite some major injuries, has had a very strong career in the NFL.

On Tuesday Davis signed a one-year contract extension with the Carolina Panthers, keeping him tied to the team that drafted him 14th overall in 2005. The team made the announcement on Twitter.

“Everybody knows how I feel about being a Carolina Panther,” Davis said in the team’s release. “This extension solidifies me being here for the rest of my career, and I’m excited about that. Now it’s totally focused on winning a Super Bowl.”

Over the course of his career, Davis, 34, has suffered significant injuries, tearing the ACL in his right knee three separate times in from 2009-11. He is the first NFL player ever to come back and play in a game after tearing the same ACL three times.

“Knowing and understanding where I’ve come from since 2011, when I tore up my knee for the third time and thinking that my career that was going to be over — not knowing that there would be an opportunity for me to continue to play this game — to be sitting here at this moment is a blessing,” Davis said. “It’s all about giving max effort because you never know when that last play is going to be.”

Since his return for the 2012 season, Davis has been one of the best linebackers in the NFL. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl twice, secured five 100-tackle seasons in a row to become the Panthers’ all time leading tackler, and recorded 10 interceptions.

“I don’t take a single day for granted when I step on the field,” he said. “Really those three years allowed me to become the player that I’ve become — not only keeping my body fresh but ultimately making me focus in on never taking a play off.”

Davis is aware of and thinking logically about the end of his career, but it’s not something that he’s dwelling on. He wants to focus on football.

“I would venture to say that this will probably be my last contract,” he said. “I’m excited about signing it and am just really looking forward to what this season holds for this team.”