Chicago Bears Countdown to Kickoff: 15 Days with Brandon Marshall

Chicago Bears trade Brandon Marshall, retirement, and legacy

The following offseason, Marshall was traded from the Chicago Bears to the New York Jets for a late-round draft pick. The team was going through a rebuild, and Marshall wouldn't be the only star to leave the Bears in the near future, with Forte, Cutler, and Jeffery all leaving the team soon thereafter.

But Marshall's focus was set on helping the Jets. In his second stint in the AFC East, the wideout had a productive first season in New York, leading the league with an impressive 14 receiving touchdowns. He also posted over 1,500 yards for the second time in his career. Following the season, Marshall returned to both the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro team.

His second season did not go quite as well, and he was held to under 800 yards in 15 games. Following the 2016 season, Marshall was released by the Jets, but stayed in New York, signing a two-year deal with the Giants. However, he lasted only one, where he finished the year with just 154 yards in five games. He was released at the season's end.

Marshall then signed a deal with the Seahawks, where he played seven games before retiring in 2019. He stepped away from a 13-year NFL career that saw time spent with six different franchises. Throughout NFL history, he is within the top 25 for receptions (970), receiving yards (12,351), and receiving touchdowns (83), an impressive feat for a former fourth-round pick.

Despite only playing three seasons with the Chicago Bears, he too resides in the franchise's history books. His receiving total is 13th best in team history, with his touchdown and reception totals being seventh and 10th, respectively. However, none of his statistical peers was able to accomplish what he was able to in such a short period.

Unfortunately, Marshall has not received a lot of post-career praise, but his resume is a potentially Hall of Fame-worthy one. Marshall holds the record for the most 100-catch seasons with six, is one of a few elite NFL players ever to have multiple 1,500-yard seasons, and holds the record for the most receptions in a game with 21, an accomplishment he managed with Cutler, but they were on the Denver Broncos.

When looking at the aggregate, several receivers have had statistically more impressive careers than Marshall, but the big-play receiver made his name known for making big plays and for having big games. Marshall throughout his career played at his best when his team needed him the most. Unfortunately, he was consistently on middling to bad teams and is one of the best players in NFL history to have never made a post-season appearance. However, he has starred in the Pro Bowl, a post-season contest recognizing individual success and even being named the game's MVP.

Today, Marshall is able to stay very close to the game of football as the founder and CEO of "i am athlete", his brand that also shares the name of his show, which frequently includes interviews with a number of current athletes.