The following are lists of past and current players of the Chicago Bears professional American football team.
The following is a partial roster for the 1919 season, when the team was known as the Decatur Staleys.
Name | Position | Notes |
---|---|---|
Roy S. "Bement" Adkins | G | |
(?) Bailey | E | |
Robert E. "Red" Brannan | E/Coach | |
(John W.)? Brant | HB | |
Perry Brecount | QB | |
(?) Casey | HB | |
Frank Manley Chase | G | |
"Joe" Cooper | E | |
Robert L. "Bob" Crisp | G | |
(?) Dancliff | C | |
Chuck Dressen | QB-HB | |
(Edward G.)? Eckhoff | E | |
(?) Gammel | G | |
Sidney "Sunshine" Gepford | HB-FB | |
Henry J. Halterman | G | |
"Charlie" Koehler | T | |
William Lutz Krigbaum | G-FB | Colonel U.S. Army |
Ralph L. "Jake" Lanum | HB-FB | |
Chester A. "Baldy" May | G | |
Walter O. "Red" May | T | |
(?) McGrath | C | |
(?) McElvey | HB | |
John F. "Jack" Mintun | C | |
George H. Moffett | T | |
"Bun" Moran | G | |
(?) Pyrzynski | HB-FB | |
C. Lawrence Thrift | FB-E | |
(Willard C.)? Valentine | E | |
W. Walter Veach | HB | |
A. Wade Wacaser | T | |
(?) Wagner | E | |
Paul C. Wilson | E | Methodist Minister Rev. Paul C. Wilson |
Fred P. "Fritz" Wasem | E/Manager | |
Ray C. "Buster" Woodworth | E | |
Lester "Lefty" Wallack |
The following lists are lists of the Bears Super Bowl teams.
The following list is of the Bears first-round draft picks since 1936. [2]
The following is a list of Pro Football Hall of Famers that have been a major contributor to the Bears, along with the year of their induction.
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The Bears have retired fourteen uniform numbers, which is the most in the NFL, and ranks fourth behind the NBA's Boston Celtics (21), MLB's New York Yankees (20), and NHL's Montreal Canadiens (15) for the most in the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada.
Chicago Bears retired numbers | ||||||
Bronko Nagurski FB/LB/T 1930–1937, 1943 Minnesota | George McAfee RB/DB/PR 1940–1941, 1945–1950 Duke | George Halas End/HC Owner/Founder 1920–1983 Illinois | Willie Galimore RB 1957–1963 Florida A&M | Walter Payton RB 1975–1987 Jackson State | Gale Sayers RB/KR 1965–1971 Kansas | Brian Piccolo RB/FB 1965–1969 Wake Forest |
Sid Luckman QB/DB/P 1939–1950 Columbia | Dick Butkus MLB 1965–1973 Illinois | Bill Hewitt End 1932–1936 Michigan | Bill George MG/MLB 1952–1965 Wake Forest | Clyde Turner C/LB 1940–1952 Hardin-Simmons | Red Grange RB/DB 1925, 1929–1934 Illinois | Mike Ditka TE 1961–1966 Pittsburgh |
In honor of the team centennial anniversary, on May 20, 2019, the Chicago Bears have unveiled the Top 100 players in franchise history, as voted on by Hall of Fame writers Don Pierson and Dan Pompei, two of the most famous journalists that have ever covered the club in their long history. [32] At the time of the publish, the list included 27 Pro Football Hall of Famers, while two more inductees would join in the 2020 class (Jim Covert and Ed Sprinkle).
Among the 100 Greatest, four active players made the list, including safety Eddie Jackson (96), defensive lineman Akiem Hicks (75), offensive lineman Kyle Long (74) and highest-ranked active Bear was Khalil Mack (60), who played only one season with the team. Long would retire the following year.
On later date, Chicagobears.com released a list titled "Top 10: Best of the rest", that featured the top 10 snubs from the centennial list. The players include (in a following order): Alex Brown, Thomas Jones, Dave Whitsell, Curtis Conway, Tim Jennings, Leslie Frazier, Roberto Garza, Marty Booker, Nathan Vasher and William Perry. [33]
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𝙝𝙤𝙛: Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee.
𝐟: Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist.
During the week of June 3, 2019 the All-Time Team was announced in parts each day starting with the All-Time defensive players, [34] followed by the All-Time specialists [35] and then the All-Time offensive players. [36]
Larry Mayer of the Chicagobears.com would later state, that according to the voters "if they had included a long-snapper on the team it would have been Patrick Mannelly". [37]
Position | Player | Years played for |
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QB | Sid Luckman | 1939–1950 |
FB | Bronko Nagurski | 1930–1937, 1943 |
RB | Walter Payton | 1975–1987 |
WR | Harlon Hill | 1954–1961 |
Ken Kavanaugh | 1940–1941, 1945–1950 | |
TE | Mike Ditka | 1961–1966 |
OT | Joe Stydahar | 1936–1942, 1945–1946 |
Jim Covert | 1983–1990 | |
G | Stan Jones | 1954–1965 |
Danny Fortmann | 1936–1943 | |
C | Clyde "Bulldog" Turner | 1940–1952 |
Position | Player | Years played for |
---|---|---|
DE | Doug Atkins | 1955–1966 |
Richard Dent | 1983–1993, 1995 | |
DT | Dan Hampton | 1979–1990 |
Steve McMichael | 1981–1993 | |
MLB | Dick Butkus | 1965–1973 |
OLB | George Connor | 1948–1955 |
Joe Fortunato | 1955–1966 | |
DB | George McAfee | 1940–1941, 1945–1950 |
Charles Tillman | 2003–2014 | |
S | Gary Fencik | 1976–1987 |
Richie Petitbon | 1959–1968 | |
Position | Player | Years played for |
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P | Bobby Joe Green | 1962–1973 |
PK | Robbie Gould | 2005–2015 |
PR | Devin Hester | 2006–2013 |
KR | Gale Sayers | 1965–1971 |
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.
Richard Marvin Butkus was an American football linebacker, sports commentator, and actor. He played football for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) from 1965 to 1973. He was invited to eight Pro Bowls in nine seasons, named a first-team All-Pro five times, and was twice recognized by his peers as the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year. Butkus was renowned as a fierce tackler and for the relentless effort with which he played. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most intimidating linebackers in professional football history.
Julius Frazier Peppers is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, where he was recognized as a unanimous All-American, and was selected by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL draft, and also played for the Chicago Bears from 2010 through 2013 and the Green Bay Packers from 2014 to 2016. After rejoining the Panthers for the 2017 season, he retired after the 2018 NFL season.
Howard Matthew Moses Long is an American former football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He spent his entire career with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders franchise, who selected him in the second round of the 1981 NFL draft. Long received eight Pro Bowl and three first-team All-Pro selections while helping the team win Super Bowl XVIII. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
Brian Urlacher is an American former football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the New Mexico Lobos, where he received consensus All-American honors as a senior, and was selected ninth overall by the Bears in the 2000 NFL draft.
Orlando Lamar Pace is an American former football offensive tackle who played for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the St. Louis Rams. Pace played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he twice received unanimous All-American honors, and was selected by the Rams first overall in the 1997 NFL draft. He spent all but one season of his professional career in St. Louis, concluding his NFL tenure as a member of the Chicago Bears.
Daniel John Fortmann was an American football guard and linebacker who played for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Colgate Red Raiders. Playing for Chicago from 1936 to 1943, he was selected as an All-Pro for seven consecutive years from 1937 to 1943. He was the Bears' team captain starting in 1940 and led the team to NFL championships in 1940, 1941, and 1943.
James Paul "Jimbo" Covert is an American former football offensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons with the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers, earning consensus All-American honors. He was selected in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft.
The 1983 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 26–27, 1983, at the New York Sheraton Hotel in New York City, New York. No teams elected to claim any players in the supplemental draft that year.
The Chicago Bears American football franchise is a charter member of the National Football League (NFL), and has played in all of the league's 100 seasons. The team has captured nine NFL championships – eight NFL championships and one Super Bowl – second most all time behind the Green Bay Packers. The franchise has also recorded more victories than any other franchise (739), retired the most uniform numbers (14), and have the most members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (29). The Bears have played in over a thousand games since becoming a charter member of the NFL in 1920.
George Francis Musso was an American football guard and offensive tackle who spent his entire 12-year career for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.
Joseph Lee Stydahar nicknamed "Jumbo Joe", was an American football player and coach. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972.
Stanley Paul Jones was an American football guard and defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Bears and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991. Jones is credited as the first professional player to use weight training to improve his conditioning for football.
The 1936 NFL draft was the first draft of National Football League (NFL). It took place on February 8, 1936, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The draft was instituted in an effort to end bidding wars among the league's teams by the arbitrary assignment of negotiating rights to amateur players. It was haphazardly decided that the last place team from the previous season would get the first selection, and the process would continue in reverse order of the standings. Under this structure the Philadelphia Eagles, who finished 1935 at 2–9, would select first.
Daniel Oliver Hampton is an American former football defensive tackle who played for twelve seasons with the Chicago Bears from 1979 to 1990 in the National Football League (NFL). He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002. He currently hosts the Bears postgame show on WGN Radio in Chicago.
The 1944 NFL draft was held on April 19, 1944, at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Perhaps as a tip of the hat to wartime sensibilities, the 1944 draft was officially called the "1943 Preferred Negotiations List" by the league.
Gale Herbert Gillingham was an American professional football player who was a guard for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Green Bay Packers.
George Leo Connor was an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) from 1948 to 1955. He played offensive tackle on offense, and on defense was recognized as one of the sport's first linebackers. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and of the College Football Hall of Fame. He attended both the College of the Holy Cross and the University of Notre Dame. He won the first Outland Trophy as the best college lineman in 1946. Sportswriter Grantland Rice once observed Connor was "the closest thing to a Greek God since Apollo".
The 2011 Chicago Bears season was the franchise's 92nd overall season in the National Football League (NFL), and the 8th under head coach Lovie Smith. The Bears, defending NFC North Division champions, attempted a return to the playoffs after falling in the NFC Championship Game to their arch-rival Green Bay Packers. The club was scheduled to partake in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game but due to the lockout, the game was cancelled. The Bears traveled to Wembley Stadium in London to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL International Series and played the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day evening in the only scheduled game on that day. Despite starting the season with a 7–3 record, the Bears went 1–5 the rest of the way, finishing the season with an 8–8 record and not qualifying for the playoffs. The season would begin somewhat of a lengthy playoff drought for the organization, as they would not return to the playoffs again until 2018.