With the serious injury to danny trevathan and uncertainty with pernell mcphee, the chicago bears have a need for depth at the linebacker spot. Teams like the chicago bears are doing their due diligence on picking up prospects who will help build a winning team. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and. The following are lists of past and current players of the chicago bears professional american football team. After playing college football for baylor, singletary was drafted by the chicago bears in the second round of the 1981 nfl draft and was known as the heart of the defense for the chicago bears monsters of the midway in the mid1980s. The gripping account of a onceinalifetime football team and their lone championship season for rich cohen and millions of other fans, the 1985 chicago bears were more than a football team. They played there from 19742001 and then 2003present soldier field was being made new in 2002. Urlacher eventually stepped in at middle linebacker when barry minter went down injured in a wally pipp moment.
They hope smith becomes the next in line of great linebackers. Aug 25, 2004 halas helped found the national football league, and with it the chicago bears, the most storied franchise in the leagues history. George is credited by many as being the firstever true middle linebacker, creating a legacy that future bears like dick butkus, mike singletary and brian urlacher would cement in history. The bears drafted roquan smith with the eighth overall pick in the 2018 nfl draft.
He also knocked tittle out for nearly half the game. Dec 09, 2017 the bears tradition of great middle linebackers can be researched back to the invention of the position. Jan 01, 2008 one of only two remaining charter members of the national football league, the chicago bears are a team steeped in history. Six of those linebackers played for the chicago bears. Thats where nose guard bill george complained to team captain. The team has won nine nfl championships, with the last being in 1985 super. There are some free agents and draft picks who can fill that need. He may not have been the first defender off the board, but he mightve been the best one in the draft class. Bears wire compiled the best bears players in franchise history in. First teams the arkon pros, canton bulldogs, dectur staleys, chicago cardinals, cleveland indians, dayton triangles, hammond pros, massillon tigers, muncie flyers, rock island. He, marshall, and singletary wreaked havoc, especially in their incredible 1985 super bowl run.
Beginning with the franchises 1919 origins as the decatur staleys, this lavishly illustrated book presents the highs and lows from more than nine decades of football. Former nfl executive gil brandt ranked the top 46 linebackers. Otis wilson will always be known as part of an incredible chicago bears great trio. Larry morris 195965 larry morris starred in the bears 1963 championship game against the new york giants. Chicago bears top 10 wide receivers of all time from the first time butkus put on a chicago bears uniform he had just one goal in mind to be the best player ever. Brian urlacher continues bears tradition of linebacker greatness. One of the great middle linebackers in bears franchise history. Brian urlacher, the bears accidental middle linebacker.
No team in pro football has a deeper and more illustrious history that bears linebackers do. May 28, 2018 six of those linebackers played for the chicago bears. From the teams humble beginnings to its status as a marquee nfl franchise, the chicago tribune has documented every season. Tom brady, philip rivers, patrick mahomes, dak prescott, ryan tannehill. The first to land on the list was joe fortunato at no. His complete illustrated histories of the bears, giants, and steelers all rank among mvps top five bestselling football titles. The bears set a franchise record by losing eight straight games in the middle of the 1978 season, but saved mental disaster for the future by finishing 51. He became the bears best linebacker and one of the best players in the history of the game. Six chicago bears make alltime greatest linebackers list. The following is the third of four excerpts from the chicago bears centennial scrapbook, which is authored by hall of fame writers dan pompei and don pierson. The game also was known as the first indoor football game, as the game took place in indoor chicago stadium due to a blizzard at the time.
List of all chicago bears linebackers, ranked best to worst. Lew freedman is the author of more than 40 books on sports, including chicago bears. Every week during the season, well send you an email to your inbox with scores, this weeks schedule, top performers, fantasy drops and adds, new debuts and interesting tidbits. The chicago tribune book of the chicago bears is a decadebydecade look at the chicago bears, beginning with george halas moving the team to chicago in 1921.
No team in the nfl has a more storied history of linebackers than the chicago bears. Doug buffone often overshadowed by teammate dick butkus, buffone was a key contributor and longtime team leader while playing 14 seasons with the bears from 196679. Chicago bears history by roy taylor arcadia publishing books. Chicago bears nab a potential star in roquan smith. Since debates about who is the best linebacker in bears history are fun, frequent and neverending, we thought itd be a great idea to rank the 15 best linebackers in bears history.
Staley starch company which owned the team for its first two seasons. The demands of the position may have changed over that time but the franchise always found a way to stay on the cutting edge. He was a business professor when he took the reins from his. Its also available for hockey, basketball and baseball.
The following list is of the bears firstround draft picks since 1936. The bears tradition of great middle linebackers can be researched back to the invention of the position. The biggest, baddest players in chicago bears history bleacher. From their founding as the decatur staleys, through the move to chicago, championships in the 1930s and 40s, the monsters of the 1950s, to the present, its all covered in the book.
An important part of the chicago defense, the lb position includes middle or inside linebackers, and outside strongside or weakside linebackers. Coming off a disappointing 79 record in the 2009 season and failing to qualify for the nfl playoffs for a third consecutive season, the bears sought to develop their roster and improve on their record in 2010, particularly their standing in the nfc north. Bears teammate gale sayers later said he did not like the book, feeling butkus was above such namecalling. Chicago bears linebackers better, but still not best chicago bears linebacker jerrell freeman led the bears by a wide margin with 110 tackles, despite serving a. May 27, 2018 no team in the nfl has a more storied history of linebackers than the chicago bears. It looks like 8 players will be fighting over the final linebacker spot for the bears. In john mullins 2003 book, tales from the chicago bears sideline. Teams like the chicago bears are doing their due diligence on picking up prospects who will help build a. On the field, the bears starting linebackers were khaseem green at will. He spent his entire career with the organization between 1955 and 1966.
From the galloping ghost, to the monsters of the midway, to that indomitable 46 defensethe grabowskis as their coach named them bears teams and players have made such an impact on the city of big shoulders. When football started football first started to be played in pittsburgh in 1892 sep 17, 1920. Chicago bears, and the 50 greatest plays inchicago bears football history. The following is a partial roster for the 1919 season, when the team was known as the decatur staleys. Chicago bears players listed alphabetically or numerically. Roquan smith was an absolute force for georgia during their national championship run last year. Revised and updated to include the latest seasons on the gridiron, chicago bears. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Butkis, singletary, and urlacher chicago bears stay safe and healthy. That february, the bears had nabbed bryan coxthe most coveted free agent on the marketand made him the highest paid bear in history. Its finally over to the defensive side of the ball for our chicago bears position battles series. Buffone played middle linebacker in college at the university of louisville, but with dick butkus manning the middle in chicago, was moved over to the outside.
Butkus once expressed amusement about how his career could be boiled down. The bears have won nine nfl championships, including one super bowl, and hold the nfl record for the most enshrinees in the pro football hall of fame and the most retired jersey. Chicago bears simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. With singletary in the middle and marshall on his other side, defensive coordinator buddy ryan used wilson to take off and terrorize opposing quarterbacks. Richard marvin butkus born december 9, 1942 is an american former football player, sports commentator, and actor. For the meantime, lets take a look at the top 10 chicago bears linebackers of all time.
The 30 best linebackers in chicago bears history chicagonow. He played professional football as a linebacker for the chicago bears of the. In addition to lots of game footage, the disc includes the nfl films documentary on their super bowl xx win, a complete devastation of the new england patriots. The chicago bears relied on their defense to defeat the new york giants 1410 and win the national football championship. This passage focuses on the bears tradition of legendary middle linebackers. It includes every starting linebacker from throughout chicago bears history, including current linebackers and past ones. Former nfl executive gil brandt ranked the top 46 linebackers of all time for, and seven former bears al. The bears have linebackers on the nfl alldecade teams of the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 2000s. The chicago bears are a professional american football team based in chicago.
Colvin outplayed urlacher, the bears bumped urlacher inside to middle linebacker and into history, so if brian does not call me and give me a ticket to canton, colvin joked, im going to be highly upset. The team started the season 35 but finished 53 to make the playoffs for the second time in the decade. The chicago bears are one of the oldest and most storied franchises in the history of the national football league. Smith has to live up to history of bears linebackers. The complete illustrated history brings the teams vibrant history to life. In the meantime, we can reflect on urlachers 1779 tackles, 22 ints, 11 forced fumbles, 16 fumble. Chicago bears the monsters of the midway this is a wikipedia book, a collection of wikipedia articles that can be easily saved, imported by an external electronic rendering service, and ordered as a printed book. The following lists are lists of the bears super bowl teams. From the galloping ghost, to the monsters of the midway, to that indomitable 46 defensethe grabowskis as their coach named thembears teams and players have made such an impact on the city of big shoulders. The chicago bears find their next stud inside linebacker. Chicago bears history is a 128page, softcover book covering the history of the chicago bears from 1920 to 2004. The distinction of being the first man in the middle is held by bears hall of famer bill.
The heart of the 1963 bears leagueleading defense and of the entire team was its corps of linebackers. Sometimes, middle linebackers are referred to as the quarterbacks of the defense. The chicago bears are a professional american football team in the national football league based in chicago, illinois. Bears known for superstar middle linebackers chicago bears. Jan 14, 2017 chicago bears linebackers better, but still not best chicago bears linebacker jerrell freeman led the bears by a wide margin with 110 tackles, despite serving a fourgame suspension for use of. One of only two remaining charter members of the national football league, the chicago bears are a team steeped in history.
The history of the middle linebacker began in a defensive huddle during the 1954 season. Chicago bears linebackers better, but still not best. Its one that goes back all the way to the birth of the league in the 1920s through today. The bears had played at wrigley field from 19211970. However, the next group of players usually involve the great linebackers who have flooded the bears history books. The bears were founded in decatur, illinois, by george halas, in 1919.
Bill george george, who invented the middle linebacker position when he dropped off the line in 1954, was voted to nine pro bowls and was an eighttime allpro in 14 seasons with the bears. While middle linebacker is one position thats storied for the bears, outside linebackers cannot be overlooked. The chicago tribune book of the chicago bears is an impressive testament to bears tradition, compiling photography, original box scores, and entertaining essays from hall of fame reporters. This twodisc set attempts to document the rich history of the club. Two bears officially ranked among 10 best linebackers ever.
With the chicago bears focusing on offense with their free agency moves, they can focus now on defense in the draft. With nine pro football championships and twentysix hall of famers, the bears are also among the most successful franchises in all of professional sports. Aug 16, 2012 its finally over to the defensive side of the ball for our chicago bears position battles series. If every college football team had a linebacker like dick butkus, jenkins. The bears were readying for the draft, and had just closed the books on a successful freeagent signing period. Brian urlacher continues bears tradition of linebacker. The rivalry grew in 1932, when the bears and spartans met in the first ever postseason game in nfl history, with the bears winning the game 90.
The bears are one of footballs most successful franchises, having won eight nfl championships and one super bowl title. Chicago bears, american professional gridiron football team based in chicago that plays in the national football conference of the national football league. Michael singletary born october 9, 1958 is an american football coach and former professional football player. Linebacker new, 42 comments in this part series well take an in depth look at each position group for the chicago bears with an eye towards the 2015 season. George, urlacher and singletary are worthy runnersup. Smith has to live up to history of bears linebackers jun 29, 2018 nfl networks peter schrager explains how bears linebacker roquan smith will help the team improve in 2018. Morris was the mvp of the title game and brought the bears first title in. Linebacker new, 42 comments in this part series well take an in depth look at each position group for the. Chicago bears history timeline timetoast timelines. With the bears spending their firstround draft pick roquan smith, senior writer larry mayer ranks the top 10 linebackers in franchise history. We can debate the which of the bears middle linebackers is best after the induction at canton. They were first called the decatur staleys, after the a. Halas helped found the national football league, and with it the chicago bears, the most storied franchise in the leagues history.
The bears compete in the national football league nfl as a member club of the leagues national football conference nfc north division. The chicago tribune book of the chicago bears is an impressive testament to bears tradition, compiling photography, original box. Bob legere of pro football weekly breaks down the needs of the chicago bears at outside linebacker. Wrigley field is the home of the chicago cubs baseball team, and the bears were named after the cubs. In chicago, the bears grip on the city spans generations and cultures, endures disappointments, and celebrates triumphs great and small.
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