It’s rare that a 27-year-old walks away from a $43 million contract.
Bears center Drew Dalman, a 2025 Pro Bowler, shockingly retired on Wednesday just after he completed his fifth and best season in the league with little details surrounding why – though more are beginning to surface.
“There was some rumblings about this at the NFL Combine,” ESPN Bears reporter Courtney Cronin said Wednesday on “NFL Live.”
“He played every single snap last year and no health issues to speak of… but Drew has seen the effects that an NFL career can have on someone.”
Dalman’s father, Chris, played for the 49ers from 1993 to 2000 and, like his son, played football at Stanford.
Cronin explained that Dalman is someone who thinks in “black and white terms” and having grown up in an NFL family certainly came to an effect with his decision.
Cronin adds that Dalman is taking a similar path to that of former Stanford Cardinal Andrew Luck, who famously retired at 29.
Luck’s retirement was more about accumulated damage than a single specific injury, which appears to be a similar thought process to Dalman’s.
Dalman will be sorely missed by the Bears, who put together an excellent offensive line in front of star quarterback Caleb Williams.
Pro Football Focus rated the Bears’ offensive line unit as the third best across the NFL, behind only the Broncos and Colts.
Dalman was also rated the No. 7 center in all of football, per PFF.
His abrupt departure from the team clearly leaves a void in the center of their protection scheme, though they’re already looking at Tyler Biadasz (No. 12 free agent per PFF) as a replacement.
Chicago could also look to ex-Bills center Connor McGovern and Ravens free agent Tyler Linderbaum if they’re looking to get a big-time replacement to keep pace with their offensive line as a strength.
