Panthers LB Thomas Davis: 'I have a lot of football left in me'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis will turn 32 in March. He’s reached his goal of playing 10 years in the NFL, and his contract expires after the 2015 season. But he’s not thinking retirement anytime soon.

 The first player in NFL history known to have successfully returned from reconstructive ACL surgery on the same knee, Davis anticipates one more contract with the Panthers before retiring.

Davis said on Monday night that the injuries actually may have extended his career.

“That’s the way I’m looking at it,’’ he said. “I lost two and a half years to injuries, but I also feel I gained two and a half years. . . . This was my 10^th year and I’m going on year 11, and I still feel I have a lot of football left in me.’’

Davis spoke about his future while touring his Youth Leadership Academy that helped make him a candidate for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. It will be announced on Saturday night in Arizona, the site of Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers and San Francisco wide receiver Anquan Boldin also are up for the award.

Davis said if he wins the award it’ll “definitely the highest honor I’ve ever received as a player.’’

Davis is set to count $10,066,668 against the 2015 salary cap before becoming an unrestricted free agent. The Panthers could opt to restructure and add a couple of more years to lessen the hit against the 2015 cap or simply do an extension.

Davis isn’t worried.

“We’ve got plenty of time for that,’’ he said. “At some point I’m pretty sure they’ll address it.’’

Davis, the 14^th pick of the 2005 draft out of Georgia, has finished second on the team in tackles behind middle linebacker Luke Kuechly the past three seasons. He had 100 tackles this past season after recording a career-best 123 in 2013.

“I do understand that I’m getting up there in years,’’ Davis said. “I’ve played more years than I have left. At the end of the day I’m taking advantage of each situation I have. From year to year, however my career plays out moving forward, I’m just going to enjoy every minute.’’

And how long does he want that to be?

“Until they tell me they don’t want me no more,’’ Davis said. “Until my body really says I can’t take it anymore.’’