5 Former Long-Time Chicago Bears Who Deserve To Be in the Hall of Fame
By Todd Welter
The Pro Football Hall of Fame's enshrinement ceremony this August will have a heavy Chicago Bears presence.
That is because three of the seven inductees announced are former Bears.
Devin Hester, Julius Peppers, and Steve McMichael were recently elected to the Hall of Fame. Peppers is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, while Hester got in on his third try and McMichael made it as a Senior Committee finalist.
Jared Allen was also a finalist who did not get elected to the Hall of Fame, but he only spent 1.5 seasons with the Bears. His glory days came when he was with the Minnesota Vikings.
Hester is the greatest returner of all time. Peppers is one of the most feared pass rushers in the game. McMichael might be the most underrated defensive lineman to play the game. All three are getting the recognition they deserve. Hester and McMichael spent the majority of their careers with the Bears.
The Chicago Bears still have five long-time players who deserve to have a bust in Canton, Ohio someday.
Charles "Peanut" Tillman
Tillman changed the game with the way he forced fumbles with his famed "Peanut Punch."
That punch is now a technique taught across all levels of football. Tillman forced 44 fumbles using that move. He also had 38 interceptions and eight touchdowns.
Tillman made two Pro Bowls and an All-Pro team. He also won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. Despite not having a ton of accolades, he was one of the better corners in the game when he played from 2003-14 with the Bears (he played one more season with the Carolina Panthers in 2015).
Calvin Johnson is considered one of the greatest wide receivers of all time, yet Megatron struggled to produce when Tillman covered him. One of Peanut's most famous plays was when he ripped the ball away from Randy Moss during Tillman's rookie season.
Tillman will have to wait until the Senior Committee reviews his career as he has yet to make it to the voting's semifinals. If former Packers great LeRoy Butler is in for the way he changed the game, Peanut Tillman deserves to be in too.