Chicago Bears center Drew Dalman of Salinas, California has announced his retirement according to Courtney Cronin of ESPN on Tuesday. What is most surprising of this announcement is the fact that Dalman was only 27 years of age.
It is also stunning because Dalman retired at a time when he was playing at his peak. In 2025, Dalman was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his National Football League career. He had a fumble recovery in a 26-14 Bears win over the New Orleans Saints on October 19.
This was also Dalman’s first season with the Bears after four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. In last year’s offseason, he signed a three-year deal worth $42 million. The Bears did not seem too concerned that Dalman had missed eight games with an ankle injury in 2024.
Dalman was originally the Falcons’s fourth round pick, 114th overall, in the 2021 NFL Draft. He played his college football at Stanford University. In 74 NFL games, Dalman had three fumble recoveries for -27 yards and one solo tackle.
This was a breakout 2025 season for the Bears organization. They had a record of 11 wins and six losses and won the NFC North Division. That was a significant improvement from the previous season where they were last in the NFC North with a record of five wins and 12 losses.
It will now be interesting to see the direction the Bears take with one of the most important positions when it comes to the offensive line. The center is responsible not only to snap the football to the quarterback but to block defensive linemen as well.
