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Former Bears RB Ryan Nall announces retirement

Posted on by angelo
Former Bears RB Ryan Nall announces retirement

A former Chicago Bears running back is ending his football career. On Monday, Ryan Nall announced on social media that he was retiring from football. “You never think it’s time until it is. I am retiring from football,” he said in a message on X/Twitter. “Thank you everyone for your love and support over the years.”

Nall benefited from a lot of that support when he was a member of the Bears. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by Oregon State in 2018 and quickly became a fan favorite during the preseason. During his freshman year, Nall rushed for 223 yards and a touchdown during the preseason and remained on the practice squad for the season.

The 2019 preseason was much of the same for Nall. He totaled 135 rushing yards in four games, including a 70-yard run against the Colts. It was plays like these that endeared him to Bears fans and made coaches want to keep him around. These plays finally paid off for Nall.

From 2019 to 2021, Nall was active during the regular season, becoming a staple on special teams and as a reserve running back. His career best game came in 2020, when he rushed four times for 35 yards and a touchdown in a 17-24 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Nall never played down another one in the NFL after the 2021 season. He signed with the Cowboys during the 2022 offseason, but did not make the team. Then, in 2024, he signed with the Houston Roughnecks of the United Football League but was released before the start of the season.

Although he never made much of an impact in the regular season, Nall will go down as one of the most notable preseason players the Bears have had over the past 20 years.