Chicago Bears center Drew Dalman shocked fans by informing the franchise he will retire from the NFL at age 27.
Dalman ends his pro football career after five seasons, helping lead the Bears last season to a NFC North title and their first playoff appearance in 15 seasons.
He was the team’s marquee free agent acquisition after spending his first four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.
Dalman signed a three-year contract with the Bears worth up to $42 million last March.
ESPN sources: Bears Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman has informed the team that he is retiring from the NFL at age 27. Dalman left Stanford in 2021, and after four seasons in Atlanta and one in Chicago, he has made the sudden and surprising decision to retire. pic.twitter.com/SKJcXa1res
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 3, 2026
ESPN shared further:
Dalman was a key player along an offensive line that ranked No. 1 in pass block win rate (74%) and fifth in run block win rate (74%). The center had the eighth-highest pass block win rate among all interior offensive linemen with 406 wins in 423 passing plays. He started all 17 games for the Bears.
Last March, the Bears flipped the interior of their offensive line in less than a week when they traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson before signing Dalman as a free agent. Thuney and Dalman earned Pro Bowl honors, which was a first for Dalman.
The Bears’ investment along the offensive line paid major dividends for quarterback Caleb Williams. As a rookie in 2024, Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times. During his second season, that number dropped to 24 sacks. The durability of Chicago’s offensive line was among the core components of its success last season, with Dalman logging every single offensive snap of the 1,154 in 2025.
Chicago enters free agency with work to be done to be compliant with the salary cap ahead of the new league year on March 11. Last week, the Bears granted linebacker Tremaine Edmunds permission to seek a trade. If he does not find a new team before the start of free agency, Edmunds is expected to be released, which will save $15 million against the salary cap. Dalman’s retirement will also create cap room in Chicago.
“4eva! Appreciate you! And gonna miss ya big guy!! Enjoy retirement,” Bears quarterback Caleb Williams wrote on Instagram.
Caleb Williams via his Instagram story on Drew Dalman’s retirement:
“4eva! Appreciate you! And gonna miss ya big guy!! Enjoy retirement”
— Bearsszn (@bearszn) March 3, 2026
Bears Wire noted:
Dalman exceeded lofty expectations in 2025, starting every game and solidifying a position that had struggled in prior years. Along with Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, Dalman anchored a stout interior of the line, allowing just one sack and one QB hit.
With Dalman retiring after just one year in Chicago, the Bears will need to pivot to find their next center. But the news of Dalman’s retirement left NFL fans stunned.