Chicago Bears Star Shocks Everybody By Announcing His Retirement At Age 27
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
In a shocking turn of events, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Bears C Drew Dalman is retiring.
Dalman is coming off arguably the best season of his career in his first year in Chicago. He was a Pro Bowl selection and started all 17 games for just the second time in his career. What makes this even more shocking is that he is only 27 years old.
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
Drew Dalman Leaves Huge Hole On The Chicago Bears
The 27-year-old center was named to the 2026 Pro Bowl and joined a few teammates at the NFL’s all-star game. It goes without saying how huge a loss he is to the Chicago Bears.
He was supposed to be the anchor on an offensive line that protected Caleb Williams. This is not welcome news for a franchise that is already slated to leave for Hammond, Indiana. Drew Dalman was supposed to be on the first team that opened up that new stadium. Now he has left a gaping hole in the team.
With Dalman, the Bears allowed a league-low 25 sacks on quarterback Caleb Williams and blocked for the NFL’s third-best rushing attack. He spent four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons before signing a three-year, $42 million contract with the Bears last offseason.
Dalman hasn’t given a definitive answer as to why he is retiring at such a young age. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Bears have shown an interest in free-agent center Tyler Linderbaum.
The Chicago Bears concluded their 2025 season with an 11-6 record, an NFC North title and their first playoff win in 15 years. There’s no denying that the future is incredibly bright.
