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.
Michael Keller Ditka is an American former football player, coach, and television commentator. During his playing career, he was UPI NFL Rookie of Year in 1961, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, and a six-time All-Pro tight end with the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL); he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. Ditka was the first tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 yards receiving.
George Stanley Halas Sr., nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was an American football end, coach, and executive. He was the founder and owner of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL), and served as his own head coach on four occasions. He was also lesser-known as a player for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He is the namesake for the NFC Championship trophy.
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.
Richard Lamar Dent is an American former football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL), primarily for the Chicago Bears. He was the MVP of the Super Bowl XX. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
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.
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.
Keith Van Horne is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. He played college football for the USC Trojans and earned consensus All-American honors. Van Horne was selected in the first round of the 1981 NFL draft, and played professionally for the NFL's Chicago Bears. He is also the former son-in-law of former Vice President of the United States Walter Mondale.
Wilber Buddyhia Marshall is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for five teams from 1984 until 1995. Marshall played college football for the Florida Gators, was twice recognized as a consensus All-American, and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
William Roy "Link" Lyman, also sometimes known as Roy Lyman, was an American football player and coach.
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.
Michael Albert Hartenstine is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Chicago Bears from 1975 to 1986 and the Minnesota Vikings in 1987.
Walter Jerry Payton was an American professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears. Nicknamed "Sweetness", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time.
Stuart Lenox Clarkson was a linebacker for the Chicago Bears from 1942 to 1951. He was the last pick in the 1942 NFL draft.
The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois, as the Chicago Cardinals from 1898 to 1959 before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1960 through 1987 seasons.
Roquan Daevon Smith is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia. Smith became the first Georgia Bulldog to win the Butkus Award.
Justin Skyler Fields is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Following a stint with the Georgia Bulldogs, he played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he was twice named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and appeared in the 2021 National Championship Game.
Caleb Sequan Williams is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Following one season of college football with the Oklahoma Sooners, he played for the USC Trojans and won the 2022 Heisman Trophy after setting single-season school records in passing yards and touchdowns. Williams was selected first overall by the Bears in the 2024 NFL draft.
Velus Tyler Phillip Jones Jr. is an American football running back and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC before transferring to Tennessee.
