Last March, the Chicago Bears made one of the key offseason moves that would propel their team from worst to first in the NFC North, signing center Drew Dalman to a three-year, $42 million deal. A year later, and the 27-year-old will reportedly retire after just five seasons in the NFL, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The move comes as a massive surprise considering Dalman's age, contract and on-field excellence.
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
This story will be updated.