There were Thursday morning rumblings that Mack was hanging it up after he restructured his contract. It has now been confirmed by longtime NFL reporter Mike Silver. A seven-time Pro Bowler, Mack never quite made first-team All-Pro, though he was a second-teamer three times, including in 2016 for the NFC champion Falcons. Mack was a road paver for years in Cleveland before arriving in Atlanta but was stuck on awful teams. 2022 would have been Mack's age-37 campaign after he started all 17 contests and made the Pro Bowl for San Fran last season.  

Mack is reducing his base salary by nearly $4 million in 2022 and over $2 million in 2023 and had $500k of his 2022 salary converted to a bonus that will be paid before the season. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo points out that it's a similar deal to the ones that Brandon Brooks and Malcolm Jenkins worked out immediately before retiring. The 49ers will likely need a new center before the season.

The 36-year-old is taking his time in deciding if he wants to play or not in 2022, with John Lynch saying "it still remains a possibility" he'll play in a pre-draft presser. The 49ers didn't draft an early-round replacement and will likely move guard Daniel Brunskill inside to center if Mack doesn't play. Mack has certainly earned a lighter offseason if he wants one. 

Mack has not made it publicly known whether he will return for his age-37 season. Lynch described the situation as "fluid." The 49ers could be in the market for a new starting center, and it should not come as a surprise to anybody if they draft one on Day 2 or Day 3 of the draft.