NFL Star Drew Dalman Shocks by Retiring at Age 27 and Walking Away from $42 Million Contract

Drew Dalman is calling it quits

NEED TO KNOW

• The Chicago Bears center is walking away from the remainder of his three-year, $42 million contract

• Dalman is credited with contributing to the team's success this year, decreasing the amount of quarterback Caleb Williams' sacks from 68 in 2024-25 to 24 in 2025-26

Drew Dalman is walking away from the NFL — and $24 million left on his contract with the Chicago Bears.

The center is retiring at the age of 27 after five seasons in the league,according to ESPN.

Dalman, who just finished his first year of a three-year, $42 million contract with the Bears, is widely credited for making a significant impact with the team.

After quarterbackCaleb Williams' tough rookie season in which he was sacked 68 times, the franchise signed Dalman and other offensive lineman to shore up his protection.

The move resulted in fewer sacks (only 24) and the Bears' resurgence this year, where they made it to the Divisional Round game before losing in a 20-17 heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Rams.

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Dalman also made the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career, after one season with the Bears and four with the Atlanta Falcons. The California native started all 17 regular-season games for the team plus two playoff games.

The Stanford product's decision was met with surprise by many of his teammates — including Williams.

"4eva! Appreciate you!" Williams, 24,wrote in his Instagram Stories. "And gonna miss ya big guy!! Enjoy retirement."

Dalman may be required to return to the Bears the balance of his signing bonus,NBC Sports reported. The 6-foot, 3-inch, 303 lb.-player earned a third of the $6 million he received upfront, and he may be required to pay back $4 million.

Selected 114th overall by the Falcons in the 2021 NFL Draft,Dalman is the son of former San Francisco 49ers player Chris Dalman, who also played at Stanford.

Read the original article onPeople

byLiam Oneel

in

March 04, 2026

NFL Star Drew Dalman Shocks by Retiring at Age 27 and Walking Away from $42 Million Contract

Drew Dalman is calling it quits NEED TO KNOW The Chicago Bears center is walking away from the remainder of ...

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Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis following hospitalization

Val Chmerkovskiyis back on his feet.

The"Dancing with the Stars"pro gave fans an update on his health after sharing that he had been hospitalized for vertigo between performances on theshow's live tour.

"So I got BPPV, which isn't too bad, thank God. There's no tumor in my brain, God forbid," the 39-year-old said in avideo posted to social mediaon March 3.

He continued, "And thankfully, it's not related to my neck injury. And so having ruled those things out, I feel a lot better."

Two days earlier, the dancer shared avideofrom his hospital bed in Peoria, Illinois, revealing that he had been experiencingvertigo, a false sense of motion.

"I'm just spinning everywhere," he said.

BPPV, short for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, is the most common cause of vertigo and includes symptoms like dizziness and loss of balance, according to theMayo Clinic.

Karina Smirnoff and Mario Lopez 

Met: Season 3 (2006)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Willa Ford and Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Met: Season 3 (2006)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mark Ballas and Sabrina Bryan

Met: Season 5 (2007)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough

Met: Season 6 (2008)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mark Ballas and Shawn Johnson

Met: Season 8 (2009)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Cheryl Burke and Chad Ochocinco

Met: Season 10 (2010)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff
Met: Prior to DWTS in 2003, but dated after Smirnoff's split from Lopez.
Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> James Maslow and Peta Murgatroyd

Met: Season 18 (2014)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Val Chmerkovskiy and Janel Parrish

Met: Season 19 (2014)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kym Johnson and Robert Herjavec

Met: Season 20 (2015)

Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Val Chmerkovskiy and Amber Rose

Met: Season 23 (2016)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella

Met: Season 25 (2017)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd
Met: Outside of DWTS in 2009, but became a couple when Murgatroyd joined the show a few years later.
Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten

Met: Season 27 (2018)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sasha Farber and Emma Slater
Met: Outside of DWTS in 2009.
Status: Divorced

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy
Met: Season 18 (2014)
Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess

Met: Season 30 (2021)

Status: Still together

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Britt Stewart and Daniel Durant

Met: Season 31 (2022)

Status: Still together

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Gleb Savchenko and Brooks Nader

Met: Season 33 (2024)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber

Met: Season 33 (2024)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

It's a romance on – and off – the dance floor. See which 'DWTS' couples are still together.

Karina Smirnoff and Mario Lopez

Met:Season 3 (2006)

Status:Broken up

More 'DWTS' news:'Dancing with the Stars' is launching its first fan convention

Val Chmerkovskiy returns to 'DWTS' tour after hospitalization

Chmerkovskiy returned to the tour stage for the March 3 show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after missing the live performance in Peoria, Illinois, on March 1.

"I'm still a little fuzzy here and there, but good enough to perform. And I'll see you all tonight," he said.

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After initially opening up about his hospitalization, Chmerkovskiy's "Dancing with the Stars" family shared well wishes in the comments of his March 1 video.

"Get better soon! But take time to heal we need our ballroom diva back when he's ready to serve,"Xochitl Gomez, Chmerkovskiy's partner and winner of Season 32, wrote.

"We got you Val," fellow proEmma Slaterwrote.

The 2026"Dancing with the Stars" live tourkicked off in January and is planned for nearly 100 total shows before wrapping up in May.

In addition to starring a slew of fan-favorite pros, including Chmerkovskiy's wifeJenna Johnson, the tour featuresseveral stars from Season 34.

What is BPPV? Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis

BPPV causes brief periods of dizziness and is often set off by changes in the head's position, like lying down, turning over or sitting up in bed, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The condition occurs when tiny calcium crystals come loose from their normal location within the inner ear, perJohns Hopkins Medicine.

A common treatment for BPPV is known as the Epley maneuver, an exercise to reposition the head in a way that helps move the crystals.

"Thankfully, our PT is certified in getting those crystals back and doing the Epley maneuver," Chmerkovskiy said.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached atmelina.khan@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Val Chmerkovskiy updates fans after hospitalization during 'DWTS' tour

byLiam Oneel

in

March 04, 2026

Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis following hospitalization

Val Chmerkovskiyis back on his feet. The"Dancing with the Stars"pro gave fans an update on his heal...

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Ryan Gosling is well on his way to joiningSaturday Night Live's Five-Timers Club — the actor will host the March 7 episode ofSNL, marking his fourth appearance on the show. Just one more hosting gig will allow him to join the likes of Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Tina Fey and John Mulaney. Gorillaz, the band fronted by Blur's Damon Albarn, is scheduled to be Saturday's musical guest.

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Saturday Night Liveairs Saturday nights at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT.

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Saturday Night Liveairs on NBC and streams live on Peacock. You can also catch new episodes the day after they air on both Peacock and Hulu.

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byLiam Oneel

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March 04, 2026

How to watch Ryan Gosling on 'Saturday Night Live' this weekend: 'SNL' start time, musical guest and more

Ryan Gosling is well on his way to joiningSaturday Night Live's Five-Timers Club — the actor will host the March 7 e...

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