Caleb Williams Has Heartfelt Reaction After 27-Year-Old Starting Center Abruptly Retires

Caleb Williams had center Drew Dalman to depend on when he led the Chicago Bears to nearly reach the NFC Championship game.

Caleb Williams Has Heartfelt Reaction After 27-Year-Old Starting Center Abruptly Retires

Drew Dalman retiring leaves Caleb Williams without a center (Image via Around the NFL/FanDuel/X)

In Short
  • Caleb Williams expressed his heartfelt reaction on social media after center Drew Dalman announced his retirement.
  • Drew Dalman had a standout season, allowing only one sack and earning a Pro Bowl selection.
  • The Chicago Bears now face challenges in finding a suitable replacement for Dalman to maintain their offensive success.

Caleb Williams and his Chicago Bears managed to have one of the most impressive turnarounds in recent history, after the team went from a 5-12 record in 2024 to an 11-6 run last season.

If not for an error of judgment from his top receiver, DJ Moore, the Bears may have been fighting for a chance to do it all with a shot at winning the NFC Championship game.

Instead, the ‘clutch’ quarterback left the Divisional round disappointed, knowing they could have achieved more. After all, the franchise’s investments in the team’s glaring holes had helped Williams play his best football to date.

One of those glaring mistakes was the lack of a dependable offensive line. Even though GM Ryan Poles spent a lot of money before drafting the USC star, those decisions did not pan out.

He went back to the drawing board and brought in guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, along with center Drew Dalman, through free agency.

Hulk…

Caleb Williams wrote on X

Caleb Williams wrote this on the social media platform, preceding it with a smiling face with a tear emoticon. This was directed at Dalman, after the 27-year-old informed the Bears that he was leaving the game for good.

This post shows how connected the quarterback and his center were, as the two paved the way for what would be an unprecedented turnaround for the offense.

Drew Dalman was Caleb Williams’ rock

It is hard to quantify how important Drew Dalman was to Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears offense as a whole. But if numbers were what most were interested in, the center gave up just one sack and 21 QB pressures all season.

Drew Dalman and Caleb Williams in better times
Drew Dalman and Caleb Williams in better times (Image via Dave BFR/X)

He played in all 17 games, and according to ESPN, had the eighth-highest pass block win rate among all interior offensive linemen in the league.

Those are numbers that would indicate that the Bears’ investment in the Stanford alum was justified. After all, they used a three-year, $42 million contract to lure him from the Atlanta Falcons.

Those numbers saw Dalman earn his first Pro Bowl, and that is probably why Caleb Williams boldly claimed that he and his unit were looking to break the league’s offensive records next season.

Even though some might scoff at those dreams, head coach Ben Johnson had indicated that his QB and their offense were just ‘scratching the surface.’

Now, though, the Bears will have to dive back into the free agency market, as well as the trade market, to see if they can get a center capable enough to take on the California native’s role.

Bears might find it hard to find someone capable of helping Caleb Williams take the next step

It is not easy to replace someone whose starting quarterback built such a rapport with. Such relationships take time to build, and the Chicago Bears will now have their hands full trying to identify a suitable replacement.

Drew Dalman was hauling all the protections… And it was really key in Caleb Williams’ development… This is a massive, massive loss.

Chase Daniel said on NFL Live

The former quarterback reiterated from his experience how important it is for someone playing his position to become comfortable with their center.

Without a good understanding of each other’s playing styles, it is difficult for Williams or any other quarterback to be as successful as they were last season.

With their interest in the draft on other prospects, the franchise could look at Graham Glasgow, whom the Detroit Lions released earlier. Even though he is a lot older, having an experienced center could help Williams take the next step.

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