Veteran running back Matt Forte recently announced his plan to call time on his 10-year career and retire from the NFL. And fittingly, he wants to go out of the league the way he came in: as a Chicago Bear.
In an appearance on NBC Sports Chicago’s Facebook Live show with J.J. Stankevitz and Chuck Garfien, Forte revealed that he will sign a one-day contract with the Bears to officially retire with the franchise that originally drafted him.
Matt Forte tells @ChuckGarfien and me that he’ll sign a one-day contract to retire with the Bears.
— JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) March 5, 2018
Forte also posted on Instagram several pictures of himself wearing a Bears jersey with the caption that he wants to retire “the right way.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf99wH2Fb77/?utm_source=ig_embed
Forte was selected in the second round by the Bears in the 2008 draft out of Tulane and spent eight excellent years in Chicago. He racked up 8,602 rushing yards in those eight seasons and ranks second only to the great Walter Payton in the Bears’ all-time rushing yards list.
He compiled 12,718 yards from scrimmage to go along with 64 total touchdowns. He made it to the Pro Bowl twice, in 2011 and 2013. He also set the Bears’ franchise record for catches by a running back with 102 in 2014.
After leaving the Bears in 2015, Forte spent the last two seasons with the New York Jets. He had 1,194 rushing yards and 1,750 yards from scrimmage with 11 total touchdowns in his 26 games with Gang Green. However, he saw his numbers decrease significantly last season. He started just four games, racking up a career-low 381 rushig yards with two touchdowns.
But despite that slightly disappointing end to his career, Forte will get to end his career the right way and retire as a Chicago Bears great.
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