Former Florida State Defensive Tackle comes out of retirement and returns to the Atlanta Falcons
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Remember when players would just retire and the story would simply move on to the next chapter? For some reason, a different path is beginning to become popular.
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Last year, Tom Brady famously stepped away from football for less than two months before returning for a final run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It didn't end with a title but one of the greatest players the game has ever seen got an opportunity to go out on his own terms.
On Tuesday, the Atlanta Falcons announced that they were reinstating defensive tackle Eddie Goldman from the reserve/retired list. Goldman stepped away from the game last summer just weeks after inking a one year deal with the Falcons. He spent his college days as a standout at Florida State.
The Washington, D.C. native agreed to a minimum contract of $1.27 million with $1.04 million guaranteed prior to retiring, according to Over The Cap. It's expected that those terms will apply to his contract in 2023 as he returns to Atlanta.
Outside of Goldman, the Falcons sport a talented interior defensive line that includes Grady Jarrett, Ta'Quon Graham, and David Onyemata. It'll be intriguing to see how he returns to the game physically and where his mindset stands after a year away from the sport.
Goldman spent seven years with the Chicago Bears prior to signing with Atlanta during the 2022 offseason. The Bears selected him in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He appeared in 81 games, with 73 starts, recording 175 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, one pass deflection, one safety, and two forced fumbles during his time with the Bears. Goldman elected to sit out the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to playing at the NFL level, Goldman put together a productive college career during his three years at Florida State. He played in ten games as a true freshman amongst a deep defensive line before entering the starting lineup in 2013. Goldman started 13 of 14 games as a sophomore, totaling 19 tackles and two sacks as the Seminoles defeated Auburn to win the final BCS national championship.
He saved his best for last with the Seminoles, rising into All-American in 2014. Goldman dominated in the middle of the defense, totaling 35 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and a team-high four sacks. Goldman recorded a career-high seven tackles in a close win over North Carolina State on the road where FSU avoided an upset.
The Atlanta Falcons will get their first look at Goldman in April when the team reconvenes for its offseason workout program.
Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the spring
