The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The Bears have won nine NFL Championships, eight prior to the AFL–NFL merger and one Super Bowl. They also hold the NFL records for the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the most retired jersey numbers. The Bears' NFL championships and overall victories are second behind the Green Bay Packers, with whom they have a long-standing rivalry.
Rex Daniel Grossman III is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL), most notably with the Chicago Bears. Grossman played college football for the Florida Gators, where he was named AP College Football Player of the Year and won the 2002 Orange Bowl as a sophomore. He was selected by the Bears in the first round of the 2003 NFL draft.
Richard Franklin Mirer is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the second overall pick of the 1993 NFL Draft. In his first season, Mirer set the rookie records for passing yards, attempts, and completions. Unable to duplicate his success, however, Mirer was traded after four seasons to the Chicago Bears. He spent the remainder of his career with the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, and Detroit Lions, mostly as a backup.
David Russell Duerson was an American professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Bears. As a member of the Bears, he was selected to four consecutive Pro Bowls from 1985 to 1988 and was part of the 1985 defense that won the franchise's first Super Bowl in Super Bowl XX. He also played for the New York Giants and Phoenix Cardinals, winning Super Bowl XXV with the former.
Freeman McNeil is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins. He was selected by the Jets in the first round of the 1981 NFL Draft with the third overall pick.
Jay Christopher Cutler is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. A member of the Chicago Bears for most of his career, he is the franchise leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, attempts, and completions.
Hardy Otto Nickerson Sr. is an American former football player and coach. He played professionally as a linebacker for four teams over 16 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) from 1987 to 2002,. He played college football for the California Golden Bears. He was a fifth round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1987 NFL draft. Nickerson spent the prime of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The hiring of head coaches Sam Wyche and Tony Dungy allowed Nickerson to play in the middle in a 4–3 defense for both coaches; Nickerson played in a 3–4 defense with the Steelers. While playing in the 4–3, Nickerson went to five Pro Bowls, and was selected for the National Football League 1990s All-Decade Team.
William Ernest Hewitt was an American football defensive end and end who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played five seasons for the Chicago Bears (1932–1936), three for the Philadelphia Eagles (1937–1939), and one for the Phil-Pitt Steagles (1943). He is remembered for his refusal to wear a helmet as one of the last NFL players not to wear one.
Vincent Tobias Evans is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans and was the most valuable player (MVP) of the 1977 Rose Bowl after the team's 14–6 victory over Michigan. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL draft.
Jay Brian Schroeder is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, after which he was selected in the third round of the 1984 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins, where he played for four seasons. He then played for the Los Angeles Raiders for five seasons and spent one season each with the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals.
The 1940 NFL draft was held on December 9, 1939, at the Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With the first overall pick of the draft, the Chicago Cardinals selected George Cafego.
Tracy O'Neil Porter is a former American football cornerback. He was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Porter is best known for being a crucial player during the Saints’ 2009 season, in which he intercepted Brett Favre in the NFC Championship Game and then won Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts, sealing the game by famously intercepting Peyton Manning and returning it for a touchdown. He played college football at Indiana.
Charles Martin Amsler was an American professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, and Green Bay Packers. He played college football for the Evansville Purple Aces.
Keshon Lorenzo Johnson is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arizona. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the seventh round of the 1993 NFL draft.
Trerein "Tre" E. Roberson is an American professional football defensive back for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent following the 2016 NFL Draft. He then played for the Stampeders until he signed with the Chicago Bears in 2020. Prior to entering the NFL, Roberson was a collegiate quarterback at Indiana University and Illinois State University. Roberson had a 3–4 record for his career as the starting quarterback at Indiana and a 23–5 record for Illinois State.
Jordan Reginald Howard is an American professional football player who is a free agent running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at UAB and Indiana.
Ben Braunecker is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Harvard. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2016, and played for the team through 2019.
Jaylon Lawrence Johnson is an American football cornerback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah.
Khalid Kareem is an American football defensive end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame.
