Chicago Bears: Top 25 players in franchise history

5. MLB Brian Urlacher

In a long line of monsters in the middle of the field for the Bears, Brian Urlacher will go down as one of the best. The former New Mexico product actually spent time at safety before he was converted to linebacker in college, which would explain the burst of speed we saw so many times out of him.

Urlacher was taken by the Bears as the ninth overall player in the 2000 NFL Draft, and like many before him, made an instant impact on not only the team, but the game as a whole.

Urlacher won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year that season and went on to the first of his eight career Pro Bowls. In 2005, Urlacher won the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year while also earning one of his four career All-Pro First Team selections.

In 13 seasons with the Bears, Urlacher compiled 1,353 tackles, 41.5 sacks and 22 interceptions. He also defended 78 passes while remaining one of the premier do-it-all linebackers who could drop into coverage just as well as he could stop the run or rush the passer.

As the leader of the Bears defense for over a decade, Urlacher helped the Bears to their first Super Bowl appearance in over 20 years back in 2006. Just this year, he was named part of the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

While his jersey should absolutely be retired, the Bears will likely hold off on doing so with anyone else from here on out simply because they have far too many players who qualify for the honor.