The ‘r’ word is a sensitive subject for Thomas Davis, mostly because the Carolina Panthers linebacker hasn’t thought about it as much as others.

But Davis, 33, couldn’t help but reflect on retirement last week after his daughter raised her hand during a Q&A at a charity event to ask her dad, “Why aren’t you around more?”

“It’s a tough situation when you’re dealing with young kids. My daughter’s 6 and she doesn’t really understand that daddy is away right now because of work,” Davis told BBR in the Panthers’ locker room after their win in Washington Monday night.

“You try to explain that to her, but at the end of the day, I understand I can’t play this game forever.”

While we all get the reality, it seems far away as Davis closes in on his fifth straight 100-tackle season. So during Monday night’s broadcast, when ESPN’s Sean McDonough said Davis is “seriously contemplating retirement” because of his daughter’s question, it made many fans fear the eventuality could be just two games away.

“Right now, I feel like I’m still playing at a high level. I feel like I’m still contributing to this team. As long as I can do that, I want to play,” Davis said.

And that means honoring the final year of his contract in 2017.

After that?

“I don’t know. We’ll see,” Davis said. “If the team is willing to have me for longer, than I’ll be willing to stay as long as my body allows me.”