Former Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman has decided to retire from the NFL at age 27, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Dalman informed the Chicago Bears of his decision after just one season with the team.
Dalman was selected by the Falcons in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft from Stanford. Over four seasons in Atlanta, he appeared in 57 games and made 40 starts during his rookie contract. In both 2022 and 2023, Dalman played nearly every offensive snap for Atlanta before an ankle injury ended his final season with nine starts. Ryan Neuzil took over as starting center for the Falcons in 2025.
Following his time with Atlanta, Dalman entered free agency and became a sought-after player on the market. He signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Chicago Bears last offseason as part of their efforts to improve their offensive line, which also included acquiring 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 single season in Chicago resulted in a Pro Bowl selection after he allowed only one sack while starting all 17 games and playing all 1,154 offensive snaps. His performance contributed to a significant improvement for quarterback Caleb Williams and helped reduce sacks from a league-high 68 in 2024 to just 24 in 2025.
The Bears’ offensive line ranked first in pass block win-rate and fifth in run block win-rate during that year. The team’s improved line played a key role as Chicago won its division and reached its first playoff appearance in fifteen seasons.
The Atlanta Falcons compete in the NFC South division of the NFL according to their official website. The franchise is based in Atlanta, Georgia and began as an expansion team in 1965. The team has advanced to two Super Bowls: once each following the 1998 and 2016 seasons as noted on their official site.
Dalman’s professional football career concludes after five seasons—four with Atlanta and one with Chicago—totaling 57 starts.
