The Next Hall of Fame Inductee For All 32 NFL Teams
By Erik Lambert
Chicago Bears: Brian Urlacher
It seems like every few years the Chicago Bears are trotting another great defensive player into Canton. Most recently it was franchise-leading pass rusher Richard Dent of 1985 fame. The man to follow him has to be middle linebacker Brian Urlacher. There are other deserving candidates. Most notably another ’85 alum in center Jay Hilgenberg who continues to get jilted. In the end Urlacher has the big name and reputation that will get him in within a few years of becoming eligible.
Together with Lewis in Baltimore, he defined an entire generation of linebackers in the NFL. An eight-time Pro Bowler, he won 2005 Defensive Player of the Year. He also led the team to their first Super Bowl appearance in 31 years. A freak athlete with size and range that seemed to be everywhere on the field. He made over 1,300 tackles, intercepted 22 passes, grabbed 41.5 sacks, and forced 11 fumbles. It was a tremendous career at a position that was hard to live up to.