FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Former Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman has informed the Chicago Bears he is retiring from the NFL at 27 years old, according to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Dalman was drafted by the Falcons in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Stanford. He made 57 appearances through four seasons in Atlanta, making 40 starts throughout his rookie contract.
In 2022, Dalman took 100% of the Falcons' offensive snaps and 99% of the offensive snaps in 2023. His final season in Atlanta was cut short after nine starts as Dalman was sidelined for the remainder of the season with an ankle injury. Ryan Neuzil — the Falcons' starting center in 2025 — backed up Dalman that year.
Becoming a free agent last offseason, Dalman was a top prospect on the open market. He landed with the Chicago Bears, signing a reported three-year, $42 million contract. This was a major get for the Bears, as they re-tooled their offensive front last offseason, trading 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."
It was a signing that turned into a top season for Dalman. The center was a Pro Bowl selection after allowing just one sack all season. He started all 17 games for Chicago in 2025, playing all 1,154 offensive snaps.
What's more, the offensive line in totality for the Bears was a significant reason why Chicago made the run they did towards an NFC North title and the first playoff appearance in 15 seasons. The Bears offensive line — of which Dalman anchored — ranked No. 1 in the league in pass block win-rate and No. 5 in the league in run block win-rate. Quarterback Caleb Williams went from being sacked a league-high 68 times in 2024 to just 24 times in 2025.
Dalman's career comes to an end after five seasons and 57 starts across four years with the Falcons and one year with the Bears.
