After Drew Dalman Retires At 27, Bears Look To Rebuild Offensive Line

The Chicago Bears were blindsided by center Drew Dalman announcing his retirement on March 3.

Dalman was just in his fifth NFL season and made the Pro Bowl in 2025.

Dalman was drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. In his rookie season, Dalman played in all 17 games but only played 68 snaps.

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He became the Falcons’ starting center in 2022. He made some mistakes, particularly a lot of holding penalties, but showed potential. He showed improvement in 2023 by committing only two penalties. 

2024 was an injury-riddled season for Dalman, as he played in just nine games. Despite this, he still garnered interest from several teams in free agency. Dalman signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Bears in the 2025 offseason. 

Dalman was a big reason for the Bears’ offensive line improvements. After having one of the worst offensive lines in 2024, the Bears had the No. 2 offensive line according to Pro Football Network. Guard Joe Thuney made the Pro Bowl for the Bears along with Dalman. 

As of now, Dalman has not given a reason for his retirement. However, Bears journalists and fans think that his father could be the reason. Dalman’s father, Chris Dalman, played in the NFL as well. He won Super Bowl XXIX with the San Francisco 49ers. However, his career was cut short due to a neck injury. 

“I’ve been OK with this decision for a long time,” Dalman’s father said. “When I first got hurt, and I couldn’t move, lying on the field for about 30 seconds, I knew it was probably over. Still, it’s strange to think that this part of your life is over.”

Regardless of the reason, the Bears will look to replace Dalman in free agency or the draft.