Former Notre Dame player continues unlikely NFL journey, waived by the Chicago Bears

The 2024 NFL season is right around the corner, which means that teams are continuing to cut down their rosters in preparation for what the final product will look like. That does unfortunately mean that players will be given their upright release, or be waived this week. The Chicago Bears waive a player very familiar for Notre Dame fans, letting go of former Irish linebacker Paul Moala , who also spent some time with the Idaho Vandals and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to cap off his career.

Moala was originally a member of the 2018 recruiting class for Notre Dame, playing four seasons with the program. In 23 games played with the Irish, the Indiana native recorded 22 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, and recovered another. Moala returned that lone fumble recovery 27 yards for a touchdown against Navy in 2019.

After his time with the Notre Dame program, Moala opted to transfer due to a string of injuries, and wanting a fresh opportunity. He landed with the Idaho program, quickly becoming a mainstay on their defense. In his one season with the Vandals, Moala finished third on the team with 61 total tackles. He also recorded four interceptions, five pass breakups, one forced fumble, and a pair of quarterback hurries.

Moala made his return to the FBS in 2023, transferring once again to play with the 7-6 Georgia Tech squad. The former Irish star once again made the most of his opportunity, finishing that season with 65 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and four sacks. He also had three forced fumbles on the year.

A size outlier at a hair under 6-0 and 230 pounds, Moala would go undrafted during the 2024 NFL Draft. His team with the Bears, for now, has come to an end. It has been a truly fascinating journey for Moala, who continued to prove the doubters wrong and produce. If history has told us anything, this probably isn’t the last we have seen from Moala. His resiliency and playmaking habits have continued to surprise.