The Sports Xchange

The Chicago Bears signed defensive lineman Ziggy Hood on Thursday and terminated the contract of vested veteran defensive lineman Jeremiah Ratliff.

Ratliff is a four-time Pro Bowl selection who started 102 games for the Dallas Cowboys and the Bears since 2005. His career totals include 380 1/2 tackles, 35 sacks, 27 1/2 tackles for loss, 18 pass breakups, 13 fumble recoveries and five forced fumbles.

In three seasons with the Bears, Ratliff started 17 games, including two this year, and totaled 63 1/2 tackles, eight sacks, 2 1/2 tackles for loss and 18 quarterback pressures.

Ratliff was suspended for the first three weeks of this season because of an DUI case in Texas. He reportedly had a heated argument with Bears general manager Ryan Pace on Wednesday and was escorted out of the team’s training facility by security.

“We felt moving forward without Jeremiah was in the best interest of our team,” Pace said in a statement. “We appreciate his contributions and wish him well. We are also excited to be able to add Ziggy Hood to our roster.”

Hood, who last played in the NFL in 2014, spent the past six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars, starting 46 games and playing in 96. He has 164 career tackles with 12 1/2 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, 24 quarterback hits, five fumble recoveries and seven pass breakups.

A first-round draft pick by the Steelers in 2009, Hood has proved durable, playing in all 16 regular-season games from 2009 to 2014. He also has 14 tackles in four playoff games.