Former Chicago Bears linebacker Alec Ogletree is calling it a career. Ogletree announced his retirement from the NFL in an Instagram post on Tuesday night.
The Bears signed Ogletree to a one-year, $1.075 million deal in 2021, where he wound up replacing Danny Trevathan, who struggled with injuries. Ogletree started all 16 games he appeared in for Chicago, where he totaled 87 tackles, five tackles for loss, four pass breakups, one forced fumble and three QB hits.
His time in Chicago was also Ogletree’s final NFL season, as he didn’t play in 2022.
“And just like that it’s a wrap,” Ogletree wrote. “Thank you (NFL), (Rams), (Giants), (Jets), (Bears) for allowing me to play 9 unforgettable years in the league!!! Thank you to all my teammates that I got a chance to play with and know over the years!!”
Former Bears linebacker (and legendary training camp interception machine) Alec Ogletree is retiring from the NFL.
🐻 4 Lyfe pic.twitter.com/hzllT22RRU
— Brendan Sugrue (@BrendanSugrue) June 21, 2023
Some of Ogletree’s former Bears teammates, including Roquan Smith and Darnell Mooney, commented on his announcement.
Ogletree, a former first-round draft pick by the St. Louis Rams in 2013, spent most of his career as a perennial starter in the NFL, mostly with the Rams.
After spending his first five seasons with the Rams, he was traded to the New York Giants in 2018, where he had a career-high five interceptions. He was released in February 2020, and then enjoyed a short stint with the New York Jets in 2020, appearing in just two games before being released.
Ogletree’s best season came in 2016 with the Rams, when he totaled 136 tackles and had two interceptions.
