After a 10-year NFL career, former Chicago Bears offensive tackle Charles Leno Jr. decided to officially retire from football on Tuesday. 

Leno spent the majority of his NFL career in Chicago, playing for the Bears from 2014-2020. He was voted to the Pro Bowl while with the Bears in 2018. 

His time with the franchise came to an end after the 2020 season, and he signed with the Washington Commanders, where he played from 2021-24. He signed a three-year, $37 million contract with the Commanders in 2021,  via Spotrac, but required hip surgery in the spring of 2024 and was subsequently released by the team. 

He announced his retirement on the two-year anniversary of the death of his daughter, Paitynn, via his Instagram account. 

"Today, October 14, 2025, at 2:46 PM, I'm officially announcing my retirement from the National Football League, but the truth is my heart left the game a long time ago," Leno said. "On October 14, 2023, my wife Jennifer and I experienced the most unimaginable heartbreak. We lost our precious daughter, Paitynn, our fourth baby girl. That day changed everything for me. It changed the way I see life, the way I carry myself, and most of all, it changed what matters most to me. ...Today, I walk away from the game, not with sadness, but with deep gratitude." 

He played college football play at Boise State from 2009-2013. He was drafted by Chicago in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft. 

Finding a reliable blindside blocker like Leno is hard in the NFL. Throughout Leno's time in Chicago, he secured the blindside for quarterbacks like Jay Cutler, Jimmy Clausen, Matt Barkley, Brian Hoyer, David Fales, Mitchell Trubisky, Mike Glennon, Chase Daniel, Nick Foles and Tyler Bray. 

With Washington, he blocked for quarterbacks such as Taylor Heinicke, Garrett Gilbert, Kyle Allen, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Carson Wentz, Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett. 

Leno's old teams faced each other on Monday Night Football, with the Bears beating the Commanders 25-24 on a 38-yard game-winning field goal from kicker Jake Moody. Moody was brought up from the practice day of the game after Cairo Santos was reported as out with a quad injury. 

The Bears are now 3-2 heading into Week 6 of the 2025 season and take on the New Orleans Saints this Sunday. New Orleans is 1-5 heading into the matchup with first-year head coach Kellen Moore. 

Kickoff from Soldier Field will be at noon CT on Fox.