More often than not in the cruel business of football, players do not get to choose when they say goodbye to a franchise.

These players invest themselves into their teams, battle on behalf of their teammates, fight for the admiration of fans, but ultimately find that cruel fate. Their bodies break down after taking hit after hit, they don’t have that quick step or powerful push. Given how the NFL business works, they are shown the door before truly deciding for themselves.

But the stories are somewhat different for now-former Bears mainstays Cody Whitehair and Eddie Jackson. Their respective releases were widely anticipated – and both seemed to understand that throughout the season.

That meant saying goodbye to the Bears after long, prosperous tenures with the team – Whitehair an eight-year veteran with the team and Jackson a seven-year player. They each carried themselves with a sense of finality this past season, but also a genuine appreciation.

“It means everything,” Jackson said. “Just coming here from Alabama and the tradition of it, the history is rich, man. Everything is just so family-oriented. When you walk through that lobby, you see all those Hall of Famers on the wall. Man, that’s the goal. Just to see the tradition the Bears have built – one of the first organizations – it just means a lot.

“It means everything. I love it. I enjoy it. And I don’t take it for granted.”

Whitehair, 31, was a second-round pick to the Bears in the 2016 NFL Draft. He became a rock for this team, even during challenging times around him.

Whitehair still recalls his first career game as a rookie as he lined up against dominant nose tackle Vince Wilfork and truly understood the challenge he faced in the NFL. But he started 118 games and played in 124 contests, emerging as a fixture for this team.

Whitehair was a Pro Bowl player in 2018, a voted team captain and one of the most respected players in the Bears’ locker room each year.

Even after being forced into a reserve role this season, Whitehair prepared himself the same way and stayed ready for the Bears.

“I’m a team-first guy and whatever is better for the team, that’s what I’m going to do,” Whitehair said. “I served as a backup the rest of the year and made the best of it.

“There were some ups and downs, obviously. Was asked to go in the backup role, and that’s tough. As a starter here for seven years, it’s tough. But I made the best of it and going to continue to play, for sure.”

Jackson, 30, was perhaps the best draft pick made by former general manager Ryan Pace. He was a fourth-round selection in 2017 and immediately became a staple for the Bears’ defense.

Jackson posted 2 interceptions as a rookie, then broke out with 6 picks in 2018 and earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. He was again named to the Pro Bowl in 2019.

But Jackson was set back by injuries over the last two years, including a season-ending Lisfranc injury in 2022. Jackson always believed that he would get back to Pro Bowl form. Unfortunately, his body hasn’t allowed that.

“I know how it works in the business,” Jackson said. “I wish I could be here my whole entire career. But we know how this thing works. So, you have to live in the moment.”

The Bears will save roughly $32 million with the releases of Whitehair and Jackson, further enhancing a rich salary situation for this offseason. General manager Ryan Poles is positioned to work aggressively in free agency or perhaps even a trade, this before the pivotal decisions in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Poles has now almost entirely overhauled the Bears’ roster, which includes just eight players inherited from Pace’s regime – and no players selected to Chicago prior to 2020.

But Whitehair and Jackson each made their mark on the locker room they were preparing to leave behind.

“This team is going to be great next year,” Whitehair said. “A lot of momentum going into next year.

“This team’s definitely on the rise. They’re heading in the right direction.”