Eddie Goldman unretires from NFL

After retiring about a year ago, Eddie Goldman is set to return to the NFL

Once upon a time, Eddie Goldman was an absolute wrecking ball on the Chicago Bears defensive line. Akiem Hicks once told me he was the key to the entire defensive front. Not Khalil Mack. Not Hicks. Eddie Goldman.

Goldman was a load up front that needed constant double teams, helped collapse the pocket on passing downs and generally clogged up the middle forcing teams to bump runs to the outside.

Goldman opted out from the COVID year in 2020 and when he returned to the Bears in 2021 he never quite found the same magic he had previously for the Bears’ defensive line. In 2021, Goldman had career lows in sacks, tackles (except for 2016 when he only played 6 games), tackles for loss and QB pressures. He was routinely handled by one-on-one blocks and at the end of the year, he and the Bears parted ways.

The GM that drafted him, Ryan Pace, helped bring Eddie Goldman to the Atlanta Falcons in 2022, but Goldman retired from the NFL just two weeks later.

After sitting out a year, Eddie Goldman has decided to restart his NFL career.

It will be curious if the 29-year old Goldman has anything left in the tank. Was Goldman’s issues sitting out two of the last three years and struggling in 2021 a mental thing or a physical thing?

Many Bears fans may not remember, but Goldman suffered a concussion on the first defensive play of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs in December of 2019. That concussion caused Goldman to miss the season finale against the Minnesota Vikings. It is possible that the concussion had lasting affects that caused Goldman to opt out in 2020 when the opportunity presented itself and perhaps played into why Goldman struggled in 2021. Goldman has suffered at least three concussions during his time in the NFL. Perhaps being several years removed at this point has Goldman ready to get back on the field.

Regardless, Goldman is set to return with the Falcons and see if he can provide the same impact he had with the Chicago Bears from 2015 to 2019. It’s a win-win situation for Atlanta. For Goldman, it’s one last chance to extend his NFL career.