Eddie Goldman's un-retirement may prove unfortunately short-lived. Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith said on Saturday the veteran defensive tackle won't be with the team going forward, per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, noting the franchise will soon make an official transaction on his status.
Atlanta also signed defensive tackle Justin Ellis to fill Goldman's vacated spot on the roster.
Goldman signed with the Falcons in March, less than a year after announcing his initial retirement. The former second-round pick joined Atlanta last summer as a free agent only to hang up his cleats less than two weeks after putting pen to paper.
Smith said after Friday's practice that Goldman had left training camp to attend to a personal matter, only allowing for the “possibility” the 29-year-old would return to the Falcons.
Article Continues Below“He looked phenomenal when he showed up the other day, but you never know what somebody is going through,” Atlanta's coach said, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic. “We’ll have a final answer by tomorrow.”
Eddie Goldman entered the league in 2015 out of Florida State, making an immediate impact for the Chicago Bears. He was a full-time starter at nose tackle in the Windy City for five straight seasons, but never again reached his rookie totals of 4.5 sacks and six quarterback hits. Goldman opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19, returning to the Bears in 2021 while starting 10 of the 14 games he played.
Ellis, a 6'2, 350-pound interior defensive lineman, spent last season rotating in for the New York Giants. The 32-year-old finished with 22 tackles and two tackles for loss, also notching the first full sack of his career.