Getty Former Bears CB Marqui Christian is retiring from the NFL.
Former Chicago Bears defensive back Marqui Christian is retiring from the NFL after six years in the league.
Christian spent part of the 2020 season and all of his 2021 campaign with the Bears, playing predominantly on special teams, also contributing in the secondary when the need arose at cornerback.
“Despite interest from multiple teams, DB Marqui Christian is retiring,” ESPN’s Turron Davenport tweeted on August 8.
Despite interest from multiple teams, DB Marqui Christian is retiring. A 5th-round pick in 2016 by #Cardinals, Christian also spent time w/ #Bears, #Jets, #Rams & played in Super Bowl LIII. He was a D2 All-American & Cliff Harris Award winner in 2015. @callmequi_ @newdealsports
Christian will turn 28 years old in October. It remains unclear why he is choosing to retire from the league.
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A Look Back at Christian’s Career
Christian won the Cliff Harris Award in 2015, which is given to the top small-college defensive player in the nation.
A fifth-round pick for the Arizona Cardinals (167th overall) out of Midwestern State in 2016, Christian was waived by the Cards his rookie season and picked up by the Los Angeles Rams shortly after that.
He carved out a role for himself, spending his first four seasons with the Rams, where he became just the second Midwestern State player to appear in a Super Bowl in 2019. (The other was former Indianapolis Colts running back Dominic Rhodes, who had over 100 yards rushing in the team’s 2007 Super Bowl XLI victory over the Bears).
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound defensive back appeared in 73 games over his six-year NFL career, starting two. He amassed 95 total tackles (one for loss), a QB hit and four passes defensed during his time in the league (stats via Pro Football Reference).
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Christian Had Multiple Stints Playing for Bears
Chicago signed Christian in August of 2020, and he spent time on the team’s practice squad before he was poached by the New York Jets later in the season. He played in just one game for New York before he was released. He landed back in Chicago for a second stint after that. The former DB says he felt at home in the Windy City and was glad to return.
“There was a lot going on with the Jets,” Christian said in August of 2021, via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. “When I got there, I played the first game and I was trying to learn the playbook and there was so much turmoil. They made me feel wanted here. It just felt like family. When I came back from New York, the first day back, the players, the coaches, it was like, ‘Man, where you been? It’s good to have you back.’ (Chicago) was a better place to be.”
Christian was the starting slot cornerback in the Bears’ 2021 season opener against the Rams and was also elevated to the team’s active roster for the its wild card playoff contest against the New Orleans Saints in January of 2021.
The newly-retired DB played 74% of Chicago’s special teams snaps last season to go with 12% of the squad’s defensive snaps.
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