NFL Star Drew Dalman Shocks by Retiring at Age 27 and Walking Away from $42 Million Contract

Drew Dalman is calling it quits

NEED TO KNOW

• The Chicago Bears center is walking away from the remainder of his three-year, $42 million contract

• Dalman is credited with contributing to the team's success this year, decreasing the amount of quarterback Caleb Williams' sacks from 68 in 2024-25 to 24 in 2025-26

Drew Dalman is walking away from the NFL — and $24 million left on his contract with the Chicago Bears.

The center is retiring at the age of 27 after five seasons in the league,according to ESPN.

Dalman, who just finished his first year of a three-year, $42 million contract with the Bears, is widely credited for making a significant impact with the team.

After quarterbackCaleb Williams' tough rookie season in which he was sacked 68 times, the franchise signed Dalman and other offensive lineman to shore up his protection.

The move resulted in fewer sacks (only 24) and the Bears' resurgence this year, where they made it to the Divisional Round game before losing in a 20-17 heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Rams.

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Dalman also made the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career, after one season with the Bears and four with the Atlanta Falcons. The California native started all 17 regular-season games for the team plus two playoff games.

The Stanford product's decision was met with surprise by many of his teammates — including Williams.

"4eva! Appreciate you!" Williams, 24,wrote in his Instagram Stories. "And gonna miss ya big guy!! Enjoy retirement."

Dalman may be required to return to the Bears the balance of his signing bonus,NBC Sports reported. The 6-foot, 3-inch, 303 lb.-player earned a third of the $6 million he received upfront, and he may be required to pay back $4 million.

Selected 114th overall by the Falcons in the 2021 NFL Draft,Dalman is the son of former San Francisco 49ers player Chris Dalman, who also played at Stanford.

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March 04, 2026

NFL Star Drew Dalman Shocks by Retiring at Age 27 and Walking Away from $42 Million Contract

Drew Dalman is calling it quits NEED TO KNOW The Chicago Bears center is walking away from the remainder of ...

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Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis following hospitalization

Val Chmerkovskiyis back on his feet.

The"Dancing with the Stars"pro gave fans an update on his health after sharing that he had been hospitalized for vertigo between performances on theshow's live tour.

"So I got BPPV, which isn't too bad, thank God. There's no tumor in my brain, God forbid," the 39-year-old said in avideo posted to social mediaon March 3.

He continued, "And thankfully, it's not related to my neck injury. And so having ruled those things out, I feel a lot better."

Two days earlier, the dancer shared avideofrom his hospital bed in Peoria, Illinois, revealing that he had been experiencingvertigo, a false sense of motion.

"I'm just spinning everywhere," he said.

BPPV, short for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, is the most common cause of vertigo and includes symptoms like dizziness and loss of balance, according to theMayo Clinic.

Karina Smirnoff and Mario Lopez 

Met: Season 3 (2006)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Willa Ford and Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Met: Season 3 (2006)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mark Ballas and Sabrina Bryan

Met: Season 5 (2007)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough

Met: Season 6 (2008)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mark Ballas and Shawn Johnson

Met: Season 8 (2009)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Cheryl Burke and Chad Ochocinco

Met: Season 10 (2010)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff
Met: Prior to DWTS in 2003, but dated after Smirnoff's split from Lopez.
Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> James Maslow and Peta Murgatroyd

Met: Season 18 (2014)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Val Chmerkovskiy and Janel Parrish

Met: Season 19 (2014)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kym Johnson and Robert Herjavec

Met: Season 20 (2015)

Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Val Chmerkovskiy and Amber Rose

Met: Season 23 (2016)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella

Met: Season 25 (2017)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd
Met: Outside of DWTS in 2009, but became a couple when Murgatroyd joined the show a few years later.
Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten

Met: Season 27 (2018)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sasha Farber and Emma Slater
Met: Outside of DWTS in 2009.
Status: Divorced

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy
Met: Season 18 (2014)
Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess

Met: Season 30 (2021)

Status: Still together

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Britt Stewart and Daniel Durant

Met: Season 31 (2022)

Status: Still together

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Gleb Savchenko and Brooks Nader

Met: Season 33 (2024)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber

Met: Season 33 (2024)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

It's a romance on – and off – the dance floor. See which 'DWTS' couples are still together.

Karina Smirnoff and Mario Lopez

Met:Season 3 (2006)

Status:Broken up

More 'DWTS' news:'Dancing with the Stars' is launching its first fan convention

Val Chmerkovskiy returns to 'DWTS' tour after hospitalization

Chmerkovskiy returned to the tour stage for the March 3 show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after missing the live performance in Peoria, Illinois, on March 1.

"I'm still a little fuzzy here and there, but good enough to perform. And I'll see you all tonight," he said.

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After initially opening up about his hospitalization, Chmerkovskiy's "Dancing with the Stars" family shared well wishes in the comments of his March 1 video.

"Get better soon! But take time to heal we need our ballroom diva back when he's ready to serve,"Xochitl Gomez, Chmerkovskiy's partner and winner of Season 32, wrote.

"We got you Val," fellow proEmma Slaterwrote.

The 2026"Dancing with the Stars" live tourkicked off in January and is planned for nearly 100 total shows before wrapping up in May.

In addition to starring a slew of fan-favorite pros, including Chmerkovskiy's wifeJenna Johnson, the tour featuresseveral stars from Season 34.

What is BPPV? Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis

BPPV causes brief periods of dizziness and is often set off by changes in the head's position, like lying down, turning over or sitting up in bed, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The condition occurs when tiny calcium crystals come loose from their normal location within the inner ear, perJohns Hopkins Medicine.

A common treatment for BPPV is known as the Epley maneuver, an exercise to reposition the head in a way that helps move the crystals.

"Thankfully, our PT is certified in getting those crystals back and doing the Epley maneuver," Chmerkovskiy said.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached atmelina.khan@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Val Chmerkovskiy updates fans after hospitalization during 'DWTS' tour

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Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis following hospitalization

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Iraq facing World Cup playoff difficulties as Iran war closes embassies and airspace

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) — Iraq's hopes of World Cup qualification are being impacted bythe Iran warbecause players cannot get visas for the playoff tournament in Mexico and the team's coach is stranded in the United Arab Emirates.

"Because of airspace closures, our head coach, Graham Arnold, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates," the Iraqi soccer federation said in a statement on Instagram on Wednesday. "In addition, several embassies remain closed at the present time, preventing several professional players, technical and medical staff members from obtaining entry visas to Mexico."

Iraq is scheduled to play Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey, Mexico on March 31 for one of the last two qualification places for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

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The federation said it is in "constant communication with FIFA regarding the arrangements for our national team's participation" in the match. It said the Asian Football Confederation is also "fully aware of every development regarding our team's situation."

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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New Name Tops List To Play Voldemort After Cillian Murphy’s Scathing ‘Harry Potter’ Response

The actor stepping into the role ofLord Voldemortin the upcomingHarry Potterseries has some big shoes to fill after Ralph Fiennes' memorable performance as the villain for six years.

But while Fiennes has expressed a preference forCillian Murphyto be his successor, the Irish actor has shut down speculation that he will be involved in the franchise.

Online whispers linking Murphy to the role began six months ago after a scooper claimed to know someone working in theHarry Pottershow as a background actor.

Cillian Murphy has addressed speculation that he will play Voldemort in theHarry Potterseries

Image credits:Gareth Cattermole/BAFTA/Getty Images

The person claimed the show would be filmed at Hemel Hempstead and that theOppenheimeractorhad been cast as Voldemort, among other unverified claims.

When Hemel Hempstead was later confirmed as one of the locations, many assumed that the claim about Murphy was also true.

Ralph Fiennes then praised Murphy, calling him a "very good" choice to play the Dark Lord, which made fans even more excited about the supposed casting decision.

Image credits:Karwai Tang/WireImage/Warner Bros.

However, when asked about the speculation surrounding the role, the Oscar-winning actor clarified toThe Timesthat he's "categorically not" playing Voldemort. He also asked, "Can you make that the headline?"

TheHarry Pottershowhas already castits leading roles. Voldemort is the only main character who remains a question mark. According to insider Daniel Richtman, MCU star Paul Bettany is at the top of HBO's list to portray the villain.

The Irish performer denied being cast in the role after Ralph Fiennes said he would be a "very good" choice

Image credits:Netflix

Bettany is known for playing Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Dryden Vos inSolo: A Star Wars Story. The British actor's résumé also includes projects such asA Beautiful Mind,Legend,The Da Vinci Code, andA Very British Scandal.

There has been no official confirmation from HBO or Warner Bros. that Bettany will play Voldemort, but many fans of the franchise have already given the actor a thumbs up.

"That's actually a phenomenal choice," wrote one fan on X.

"Paul Bettany from playing Vision to Voldemort is the ultimate range; he can be warm and kind or cold and menacing perfectly," shared someone else.

Image credits:Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

"He's perfect for it," expressed a third user.

"Not a bad choice actually… would've gone with Cillian Murphy or maybe even got Ralph Fiennes back personally, but Bettany could pull it off," one fan commented.

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Meanwhile, another fan said they couldn't see Murphy playing the same role for several seasons. "I can't imagine Cillian Murphy committing to a prominent role in a massive franchise that would have him tied to the project for years on end."

Paul Bettany is likely to play the villain instead, according to insider Daniel Richtman

Image credits:Sony Pictures

Voldemort was famously played in the originalHarry Potterfilms by Ralph Fiennes, beginning with 2005'sHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In the first three movies, the role was played by different actors, including Richard Bremmer, Ian Hart, and Christian Coulson.

In January, Fiennes was asked who should fill his shoes in the upcoming series, to which he replied, "Well, I'm told they're already filled, aren't they?"

Image credits:Warner Bros.

The journalist then asked, "Who do you think it should be? If anyone could do Voldemort the way that you did Voldemort…"

"I've already said, I think Cillian Murphy is very good," the actor responded. "I think they've cast it, haven't they? I don't know. I thought they had."

ThePeaky Blindersstar, who is not on social media, denied the claims and admitted that he didn't even know his name was floating around to play He Who Shall Not Be Named.

Ralph Fiennes portrayed Harry Potter's nemesis for six years, starting withThe Goblet of Fire

Image credits:Ben Montgomery/FilmMagic

"Being a personality is not what I am good at," Murphy toldThe Times, before modestly adding, "I'm an incredibly average person, really."

Speaking withVariety, the 49-year-old actor clarified that he would not be playing Voldemort and said, "it would be very hard to follow Ralph Fiennes."

"This is, of course, what anyone who was playing Voldemort would have been told to say," the interviewer countered, to which Murphy replied, "Ha! No, I don't play those games."

Image credits:Universal Pictures

Another name thatwas suggested for the roleon social media is Cynthia Erivo. As showrunners have taken some liberties with casting decisions, choosing actors who don't resemble those in the original films, fans have speculated that Voldemort could be gender-swapped. Neither theWickedactress nor the producers have addressed this theory.

Dominic McLaughlin will portray Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will star as Hermione, and Alastair Stour will play Ron

Image credits:HBO

Whoever portrays Voldemort will join Dominic McLaughlin (Harry Potter), Arabella Stanton (Hermione), and Alastair Stour as (Ron).

Other cast members includePaapa Essiedu(Severus Snape), John Lithgow (Albus Dumbledore),Nick Frost(Rubeus Hagrid), and Janet McTeer (Minerva McGonagall).

The first season of the Wizarding World TV adaptation is expected to be released on HBO in early or mid-2027.

Harry Potterfans shared their thoughts on who they think is the best choice to play Lord Voldemort

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March 04, 2026

New Name Tops List To Play Voldemort After Cillian Murphy’s Scathing ‘Harry Potter’ Response

The actor stepping into the role ofLord Voldemortin the upcomingHarry Potterseries has some big shoes to fill after Ralp...

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