Former Chicago Bears nose tackle Eddie Goldman is retiring from the NFL after six seasons, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Goldman, who played six years with the Bears, signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons this offseason, where he reunited with former Bears general manager Ryan Poles. But Goldman instead decided to hang up his cleats.
The Bears released Goldman earlier this offseason after failing to find a trade partner. Goldman was slated to have a $11.8 million cap hit in 2022, which was the fourth-highest on the team behind defensive end Robert Quinn, safety Eddie Jackson and offensive lineman Cody Whitehair. The move freed up $6.7 million in salary cap space for the 2022 season.
Veteran DT Eddie Goldman, who recently signed with the #Falcons, has informed the team that he's retiring instead, source said. The former #Bears standout, who is 28, played six seasons, plus the opt-out year in 2020.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 19, 2022
Goldman, 28, opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. There was a report from the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs that Goldman considered retiring after opting out. But Goldman returned for the 2021 season, where he had arguably his worst season with Chicago.
During his time in Chicago, Goldman emerged as an unsung hero on defense as a dominant run stuffer. In six seasons with the Bears, Goldman totaled 175 tackles, 18 tackles-for-loss, 13 sacks, 21 QB hits and 2 fumble recoveries.
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