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Former Bears DT Eddie Goldman retires 13 days after signing with Falcons

Veteran defensive tackle Eddie Goldman is retiring from the NFL. The Atlanta Falcons, the team he signed with just 13 days ago, announced his decision on Twitter.

Goldman, who is just 28, spent six years in the NFL, all of them with the Chicago Bears. He came to the Bears via the 2015 draft, picked 39th overall after three seasons at Florida State. Over his career, Goldman played in 81 total games with 73 starts, amassing 13 sacks, 175 tackles and two fumble recoveries. He sat out the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, and was released by the Bears in March.

Goldman signed a one-year deal with the Falcons on July 6. Former Bears GM Ryan Pace, who was fired following the 2021 season, is now working in the Falcons' front office, and has signed a number of former Bears players to suit up for Atlanta over the offseason.

It's always surprising when a player announces they're leaving the game before turning 30, but we've seen it happen before. Andrew Luck, former quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, retired after the 2018 season at just 29 years old, saying that the never ending cycle of injuries and rehab had sucked the fun out of the game. In February, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman and Super Bowl champion Ali Marpet retired at 28 due to injury concerns. 26-year-old safety Khari Willis retired from the Colts in June to pursue a career in religious ministry.

Goldman will now join that list of players who retired in their prime, though we don't know why he made that decision. Until he decides to speak publicly about it, his reasons will remain a mystery.

This article originally appeared on Yahoo Sports at https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-former-bears-dt-eddie-goldman-retires-13-days-after-signing-with-falcons-195953199.html