Eddie Goldman is coming out of retirement … again.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Atlanta Falcons are signing Eddie Goldman. The defensive tackle hasn’t played in an NFL game since the 2021 season.
Goldman tallied 13 sacks and 175 tackles in six seasons for the Chicago Bears. He signed with the Falcons during the 2022 offseason but abruptly retired later that summer.
Goldman came out of retirement that March. However, he never practiced for the Falcons, who placed him on the exempt list. Arthur Smith, their head coach at the time, said Goldman was dealing with a personal issue.
“With Eddie, last year, [he] retired and then we put him on that, and then he actually reached out to us,” Smith said in July, per ESPN’s Michael Rothstein. “When somebody does that, you say, ‘All right, why not? See how it goes.’ To his credit, he looked phenomenal when he showed up the other day. But like I said, you just never know what somebody’s going through.”
The former second-round pick has yet to play a snap for Atlanta in two years. Perhaps the third time will yield a different outcome.
Atlanta replaced Smith with former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris after another 7-10 season. They rank No. 11 in total defense but 20th against the run.
Goldman, 30, will get another chance to finally see the field for the Falcons.