Former Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman has decided to retire from the NFL at age 27, according to a report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Dalman informed the Chicago Bears of his decision after spending one season with the team.
Dalman was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Stanford. He played four seasons with Atlanta, making 57 appearances and starting 40 games during his rookie contract. In both 2022 and 2023, he played nearly every offensive snap for the Falcons, missing only a small percentage in his final year due to an ankle injury that limited him to nine starts. Ryan Neuzil took over as starting center for Atlanta in 2025.
After becoming a free agent last offseason, Dalman signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Chicago Bears. The move was part of significant changes to Chicago’s offensive line, which also included trades for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson.
“As our pro staff puts our free agent board together, I often, throughout the season, take a peek at it as I forecast forward,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said last March. “(Dalman’s) name popped up. I put his tape on. And he was definitely at the very, very top of our list.”
Dalman’s time in Chicago resulted in a Pro Bowl selection after allowing just one sack during the season. He started all 17 games for the Bears in 2025 and played every offensive snap that year.
The Bears’ improved offensive line performance contributed significantly to their success in winning an NFC North title and reaching their first playoff appearance in fifteen years. The unit ranked first in pass block win-rate and fifth in run block win-rate league-wide. Quarterback Caleb Williams saw his sack total drop from a league-high 68 times in 2024 to just 24 times in 2025.
Dalman ends his career after five seasons—four with Atlanta and one with Chicago—with a total of 57 starts.
The Atlanta Falcons are based in Atlanta, Georgia and compete in the NFC South division of the NFL according to their official website. The team began play as an expansion franchise in 1965 and reached the Super Bowl twice—in both 1998 and 2016—according to their official website.
