For more than a decade, Kyle Hendricks has stood as one of the most unassuming yet quietly powerful figures in Chicago Cubs history. He never threw the fastest fastball, never commanded the kind of superstar aura that sells jerseys by the millions, and never pretended to be something he was not. But perhaps that is exactly why fans fell in love with him.
Now, as Hendricks has revealed his plans to walk away from Major League Baseball at the end of the 2025 season, his farewell feels like more than the retirement of just another pitcher. It feels like the closing chapter of an era. The “Professor,” as he was affectionately nicknamed for his cerebral style and Ivy League background, is the final remaining player from the 2016 World Series championship team — the team that shattered a 108-year-old drought and rewrote the franchise’s destiny. When Hendricks says goodbye, so too does the last tangible link to the most magical Cubs season in living memory.
The Beginning of a Quiet Legacy
When Hendricks debuted with the Cubs in 2014, he was not surrounded by the noise and hype that accompanied other top prospects. He was, in many ways, the complete opposite of what modern baseball celebrates. He didn’t light up radar guns with triple-digit velocity. Instead, he leaned on precision, command, and an ability to outthink hitters.
Fans quickly noticed his calm demeanor on the mound. He carried himself with the poise of a professor conducting a lecture, methodical and unshaken. That was how the nickname stuck, and it fit perfectly. While others chased speed, Hendricks chased perfection in execution. His craft was not to overpower but to outsmart.
And it worked. By 2016, just two seasons into his career, Hendricks had become a central figure in a Cubs rotation built for history. That year, he led the league in ERA and finished third in the Cy Young Award voting. More importantly, he cemented himself in Cubs lore forever with his postseason brilliance.
October 2016: The Defining Moment
Every Cubs fan remembers where they were during the fall of 2016. Hendricks, then just 26 years old, took the mound in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the weight of generations pressing down on Wrigley Field, he delivered a performance that was nothing short of historic.
Hendricks pitched 7.1 shutout innings, allowing only two hits, and silenced the Dodgers to clinch the Cubs’ first pennant since 1945. The moment Wrigley erupted after that final out, Hendricks’ place in history was secure.
Two weeks later, he started Game 7 of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians. Though the spotlight eventually shifted to Ben Zobrist’s heroics and the rain delay speech, Hendricks’ steady hand in the early innings set the tone for the Cubs’ greatest victory in modern history.
That was Hendricks in a nutshell — never the loudest voice, never the flashiest performance, but always there when it mattered most.
The Years After the Glory
The Cubs’ 2016 title was supposed to mark the beginning of a dynasty. For a while, it seemed possible. Hendricks continued to serve as the rotation’s stabilizing force, while the likes of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Javier Báez carried the offense.
But baseball is rarely so forgiving. Injuries, trades, and inconsistency chipped away at the Cubs’ core. One by one, the heroes of 2016 left Chicago: Rizzo to the Yankees, Bryant to the Rockies, Báez to the Tigers, Schwarber to the Nationals, and so on.
Through it all, Hendricks remained. He became the quiet constant, the steady hand, the reminder of better days. While others moved on, Hendricks never let go of his loyalty to the only franchise he had ever known. Fans admired him for that loyalty, even as the Cubs entered painful rebuilding phases.
Still, Hendricks’ own career was not without turbulence. The last several years brought struggles with injuries and declining velocity. The same pinpoint command that once defined him occasionally wavered, and the numbers told the story of a pitcher battling time. Yet, he never once used excuses. He kept working, kept fighting, and kept representing the Cubs with dignity.
The Farewell Decision
When Hendricks announced that 2025 would be his final season, the baseball world reacted with a mixture of sadness and respect. His reasons were not tied to money or bitterness, but something far more profound: pride, memories, and love for the game.
“I’ve given everything I have to this game and to this team,” Hendricks said in a statement. “It’s been an honor to put on this uniform, to share the field with my teammates, and to give something back to the fans who have given me so much. I want to leave the game on my terms, remembering why I fell in love with baseball in the first place.”
For fans, the words cut deep. Hendricks was never the kind of player who sought attention, but now the spotlight will follow him everywhere he goes in 2025. Every start, every appearance on the mound will feel like part of a farewell tour — a chance to say thank you to the man who helped make 2016 possible.
What Hendricks Leaves Behind
When Hendricks finally steps off the mound for the last time, his legacy will not be measured in gaudy strikeout numbers or Hall of Fame debates. His impact lies elsewhere.
He represents the art of pitching in an era obsessed with power. He reminds us that intelligence, precision, and heart can be just as valuable as raw strength. He embodies loyalty in a sport where players so often become commodities traded for prospects.
And above all, he carries the eternal respect of a fan base that will never forget 2016. Every Cubs fan knows the truth: without Kyle Hendricks, there is no championship parade down Michigan Avenue.
The End of an Era
When the 2025 season ends, Wrigley Field will feel different. The ivy will still climb the brick walls, the rooftops will still fill with fans, and the bleachers will still buzz with summer energy. But something intangible will be gone.
With Hendricks’ retirement, the last living thread to 2016 will be cut. For a generation of fans, it will feel like saying goodbye not just to a pitcher, but to a piece of themselves.
Kyle Hendricks’ farewell is imperfect — just like baseball itself. His career has had highs and lows, triumphs and struggles. But that is what makes it so human, and so memorable.
He leaves as he arrived: quiet, humble, and unwavering. And as he walks off the mound for the final time in 2025, he will carry with him the gratitude of a city that waited more than a century for a dream he helped deliver.
The Professor’s lesson is complete.