Atlanta Falcons add a defender who comes out of retirement

Remember Eddie Goldman? The player who signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2022 only to retire from the NFL that same month? Well, the Falcons just added him back to their roster as they gain even more defensive help this offseason.

It was announced on Tuesday that defensive tackle Eddie Goldman was reinstated by the Falcons off of the reserve/retired list.

Eddie Goldman rejoins the Atlanta Falcons after his retirement last offseason

Among the long list of former Chicago Bears players that the Atlanta Falcons have signed is defensive tackle Eddie Goldman. What is different about Goldman however, is that he ended up never playing for the Falcons as he retired not too long after he signed—at least, until now.

Mike Garafolo reported on Tuesday that Goldman has decided to make his return and the Falcons have now reinstated him off of the reserve/retired list.

As you might have learned after the return of Rob Gronkowski or, more recently, Sean Payton, when someone retires while under contract with a team, the team still owns the rights to that player or coach if they decide to make a return to football. Therefore, the Falcons now have essentially signed Eddie Goldman. What they decide to do with him now is their decision.

This rule is to keep players from retiring in order to join a new team in the future. It is why the Patriots got compensation for Gronk when he wanted to link back up with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay, and why the Saints have the Broncos' first-round pick (which was originally traded to Denver when they traded Bradley Chubb to Miami) in this the upcoming draft

But back to the Falcons, Goldman joins a group that already has Grady Jarrett, Ta'Quon Graham, and David Onyemata. One can only assume that Atlanta sees a role for him in the rotation with him being a stout body in the middle. He is six-foot-four, and 320 pounds, so there are not many people who can move him. It could prove to be a good 'addition' to the Birds.