Devin Hester and Matt Forte will sign one-day contracts with the Bears to retire with the organization that drafted them, the team announced Wednesday. Both players spent the first eight years of their NFL careers in Chicago.
The Bears made Hester a second-round pick in 2006, and he returned three punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns as a rookie. He also returned the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI 92 yards for a score.
He played three more seasons after leaving the Bears after the 2014 season, spending two in Atlanta and one in Baltimore. Hester’s final season was 2016.
The Bears selected Forte in the second round in 2008, and he played in Chicago through the 2015 season. He rushed for 1,238 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, one of the best rookie seasons for a running back in team history.
He spent two seasons with the Jets, announcing his retirement after last season. Forte finished with 9,796 career yards and 54 touchdowns on 2,356 attempts. He added 4,672 receiving yards on 554 receptions with 21 touchdowns.
