Mike Iupati retires after 11 seasons

Former San Francisco 49ers guard Mike Iupati retired from the NFL after 11 seasons. The former four-time Pro Bowler a part of the team’s 2010 NFL Draft class. Those four Pro Bowls were all consecutive appearances. San Francisco selected Iupati at No. 17 in the first round shortly after drafting Anthony Davis at No. 11 overall.

The days of fielding mauling offensive lineman are long gone in the NFL, but those Harbaurgh offensive lines were bullies. It didn’t take long for Iupati and the Niners to make their presence felt. In 2012, the 49ers led the NFL in adjusted line yards, paving the way by averaging 4.77 yards per carry. Iupati was an All-Pro in 2012.

Iupati battled several injuries, including one in 2017 that limited him to one game with Arizona. That didn’t stop a comeback as he wound up with the Seahawks and started 15 games in 2019 before starting ten games this past season.

Iupati spoke to the Spokesman-Review newspaper in Idaho, where Iupati played his college ball, and told them, “my body was telling me it was time to close the door. My goal was to hit ten years.”