It has been over seven years since former Alabama RB Glen Coffee played professional football. That fact makes for some raised eyebrows after the 49ers, under new GM John Lynch, made a roster move that involved Coffee on Friday.

A third-round pick out of Alabama, Coffee hung up his cleats after only one season to pursue a higher calling. At age 23, Coffee walked away from the game to become a minister, then later an Army Ranger, and he made it clear that the NFL was not a priority of his. In a 2010 interview with AL.com, Coffee said that the NFL never felt right.

“A lot of people aren’t going to understand and realize because they don’t have the wisdom to understand. Their eyes aren’t open like mine are open. True happiness is glorifying God and glorifying Christ. That’s what true happiness is. … And for me, that wasn’t the NFL. That wasn’t where I needed to be.”

Now, seven years later, in the middle of April, an interesting transaction came across the NFL ticker.

Why exactly this happened is unknown. As a member of the retirement list, Coffee’s status did not in any way affect the team – it only guaranteed that if the former Alabama star ever chose to come out of retirement, his rights would still be held by the 49ers. Now, he will have to clear waivers and become a free agent like many other veteran players, but for a much different reason.

Coffee has made no statement that he wants to come back, even if Ranger training may have prepared his body for the rigors of the NFL.

This roster move is a bit bizarre, but potentially worth keeping tabs on, because there is literally no reason for Lynch to make such a move without some impetus.

Coffee rushed for 226 yards and a touchdown in one season with the 49ers.