Squirrel White‘s NFL career ended before it really began.
The Chicago Bears placed White on its reserve/retired list on May 11. The transaction, which abruptly ends White’s pro career, comes 16 days after the Bears signed the Florida State wide receiver as an undrafted free agent.
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The reason for White’s retirement is not clear as of the time of writing: the evening of May 11.
ESPN Bears writer Courtney Cronin reported that she saw White leaving the Bears’ practice field during rookie minicamp on May 9. Cronin wrote on the social media website X that the rookie receiver left with a trainer while the team was still doing stretches and did not return to practice later.
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White began his collegiate football career at Tennessee in 2022. He played in 38 games during his time on Rocky Top, catching 131 passes for 1,665 yards and six touchdowns.
White transferred to Florida State ahead of the 2025 season and played in 10 games for the Seminoles. In his lone season in Tallahassee, White caught five passes for 52 yards.
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
New York Jets – Arch Manning, QB, Texas
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
New York Jets – Arch Manning, QB, Texas
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Miami Dolphins – Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Arizona Cardinals – Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Atlanta Falcons – Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Tennessee Titans – Trevor Goosby, OT, Texas
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Las Vegas Raiders – Jordan Seaton, OT, LSU
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Cleveland Browns – CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
New York Giants – Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
New Orleans Saints – Colin Simmons, DE/OLB, Texas
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Washington Commanders – Dylan Stewart, DE/OLB, South Carolina
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Jets (from IND) – KJ Bolden, S, Georgia
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jamari Johnson, TE, Oregon
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Pittsburgh Steelers – Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Jets (from DAL) – Ellis Robinson IV, CB, Georgia
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Carolina Panthers – Quincy Rhodes, DE/OLB, Arkansas
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Cincinnati Bengals – Zabien Brown, CB, Alabama
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Minnesota Vikings – Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Detroit Lions – Will Heldt, DE, Clemson
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Baltimore Ravens – Kelley Jones, CB, Mississippi State
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Houston Texans – Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Kansas City Chiefs – Trey’Dez Green, TE, LSU
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Philadelphia Eagles – Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State
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Cowboys (from GB) – Nick Marsh, WR, Indiana
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
San Francisco 49ers – Koi Perich, S, Oregon
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Jacksonville Jaguars – David Stone, DT, Oklahoma
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Buffalo Bills – Damon Wilson II, DE, Miami (Fla.)
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Los Angeles Chargers – A’Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon
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Chicago Bears – Ahmad Moten, DT, Miami (Fla.)
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New England Patriots – Whit Weeks, LB, LSU
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Los Angeles Rams – Princewill Umanmielen, DE/OLB, LSU
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Denver Broncos – A.J. Holmes Jr., DT, Texas Tech
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Seattle Seahawks – Mateen Ibirogba, DT, Texas Tech
Why did Squirrel White retire?
As of the time of writing, it is unclear why White retired so abruptly from the NFL.
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Squirrel White injury history
White did not have an extensive injury history in college.
In 2025, he left the Seminoles’ Week 2 game against East Texas A&M with a wrist injury and missed one game. He also missed an October game against Pittsburgh with an undisclosed injury.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bears UDFA Squirrel White retired abruptly. What we know