Professional Football Career

Matt Forte is a retired American professional football player who served as a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Over the course of his impressive career, Forte played for two teams: the Chicago Bears and the New York Jets. He is widely regarded as one of the most dynamic dual-threat running backs in NFL history. Though officially retired in 2018, Forte left a notable legacy with his contributions to the league.

Forte began his NFL career when he was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, he became just the second Bears player—after Anthony Thomas—to rush for over 1,000 yards as a rookie. In 2011, he recorded a career-high 205 rushing yards in a game against the Carolina Panthers. Over his first four seasons, Forte joined Herschel Walker as one of the few players to register at least 700 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards annually, underlining his versatility.

His standout performance earned him a place in the 2012 Pro Bowl. By 2013, Forte had climbed to third on the Bears' all-time rushing list with 5,702 yards, later surpassing Neal Anderson to become the second-highest career rusher in franchise history. In the 2014 season, he surpassed 1,000 yards for the third time and set an NFL record for running backs with 102 receptions, breaking the previous mark held by Larry Centers. In his final season with the Bears in 2015, Forte posted 898 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

On February 12, 2016, the Bears announced they would not re-sign Forte. Then-General Manager Ryan Pace commended Forte, stating, “Matt is one of the all-time great Bears and did an excellent job for us on and off the field last season.”

Forte later signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the New York Jets on March 9, 2016. He played two seasons with the Jets before announcing his retirement from professional football on February 28, 2018.