Running back Matt Forte retired from the NFL on Wednesday after spending 10 seasons in the league with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets.
Forte announced the news on Twitter:
Matt Forte @MattForte22
While Forte dealt with injury concerns in 2017 and tallied just 381 rushing yards, he isn't far removed from being one of the best running backs of his generation and ends his tenure with 9,796 career rushing yards.
The two-timePro Bowler ran for more than 1,000 yards in five of his eight seasons with the Bears and never finished with fewer than 898 yards on the ground. He helped lead the team to the NFC Championship Game in the 2010 season as a stabilizing force in the offense both on the ground and in the aerial attack.
It was Forte's ability as a receiver that helped him stand out compared to many of his peers.
He finishes with 4,672 receiving yards in his career, tallying as many as 808 yards through the air in one season. Forte's ability as a receiver out of the backfield allowed him to stay on the field for all three downs and take advantage of matchup problems against opposing linebackers.
The Tulane product will be remembered for his explosiveness and two-way talent during his prime with the Bears, but his ability to play through the 2017 season is a testament to his durability.
Forte said in November 2016 he "wanted to play 10 years," per Connor Hughes of NJ.com, and pointed to his decision to change his diet and revamp his approach after having his knee scoped in 2010.
"I felt so much better," Forte said, "So I started changing everything. I changed this, and I didn't eat that. Then it was just about finding and doing all kinds of different things, like pre-hab. I wasn't waiting for an injury. I was doing stuff before to prevent it."
The approach worked, helping establish him as a stalwart in the backfield for many years.
He hinted in 2016 that his 10th campaign might be his last, which proves true with Wednesday's retirement.
"As a running back, after 10, you take into account: Is it worth it?" Forte said. "You need to think of your health, family time, stuff like that. After 10 years, I'll have to revisit it and see how many more I feel like playing."
He will now have the opportunity to turn his attention elsewhere and focus on his family and health as he leaves the game of football as one of the best Bears players in recent memory.
