Five-time Pro Bowler Elvis Dumervil announces retirement

Elvis Dumervil, who recorded 105.5 sacks during his NFL career, has decided to "step away" from the NFL to focus on his family and a business venture, he announced Thursday on Twitter.

"After spending a great deal of time talking to my family and prayerfully considering what's next in my career, I have made the difficult decision to step away from the NFL at this time," Dumervil, 34, said in his post. "It's been an incredible 12-year run."

Dumervil was selected in the fourth round of the 2006 draft by the Denver Broncos, with whom he spent seven years; he missed the 2010 season because of a torn pectoral. He also played four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens before joining the San Francisco 49ers in 2017.

The defensive end was a five-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro selection and led the NFL with 17 sacks for Denver in 2009. Dumervil set the Ravens' single-season sacks record with 17 in 2014 and ranks 26th on the NFL's all-time sacks list.

Dumervil led the 49ers with 6.5 sacks in 2017, but the team decided not to pick up his option for the 2018 season. Last season, the 5-foot-11 Dumervil became the 32nd player to reach the 100-sack milestone since sacks became an official statistic in 1982 and the first player under 6-1 to do so. He also joined John Abraham as the only players to record at least a half-sack against all 32 NFL teams.

"My body still feels great," Dumervil wrote in his Twitter post, "and I know I can still help a team win. I will miss being on the field, particularly on Sundays. But I also have a wife and two young children who need me and a real estate business that I can now turn my attention to full time.

"Football was certainly a huge part of my life but it wasn't my entire life. I look forward to my next chapter with no regrets."

Dumervil also tallied 262 tackles, forced 23 fumbles with 13 recoveries and had an interception during his NFL career.