Getty Images, Brightcast Media
Dive into the rich history of the Chicago Bears as we explore the legends who have left a lasting impression on the franchise. From iconic players to a game-changing coach, discover the legendary individuals who have shaped the Bears’ legacy and cemented their place as the greatest in team history.
25. Matt Forte
David Banks/Getty Images
The Chicago Bears are one of the most storied teams in the NFL. While the franchise has just one championship during the Super Bowl era, the Bears did win eight NFL Championships pre-merger. And over the years, they’ve had some stud players. Matt Forte is certainly one of Chicago’s best players in franchise history. Drafted 44th overall in 2008, Forte rushed for over 1,000 yards five times during his time in Chicago. A two-time Pro Bowler, Forte is second on the Bears’ all-time rushing list with 8,602 yards.
24. Joe Stydahar
Bettmann/Getty Images
While the Bears may lack a history of great — or even good — quarterback play, they do have a fair share of elite maulers. The No. 6 pick in 1936 out of West Virginia, Stydahar was the Bears’ first-ever NFL draft pick and the first lineman drafted. The left tackle was regarded as one of the best players in football during his peak. Stydahar was named an All-Pro four-straight years (1937-1940) and helped lead Chicago to three NFL Championships. The former Navy lieutenant was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1967.
23. Charles Tillman
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
One of the most beloved players in recent years, Charles ‘Peanut’ Tillman made a lasting impact on the NFL. While Tillman was known as a good cover corner, his trademark “Peanut Punch” changed the way other defensive backs play the game. In 12 years with the Bears, Peanut forced 42 fumbles — including an NFL-best 10 FF during his All-Pro 2012 season. Tillman was also known for being as good of a human off the field as he was a player on it. The fan favorite was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2013. After his playing career came to an end, Tillman joined the FBI in ’18.
22. Lance Briggs
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Sometimes overlooked by football fans not residing in Chicago or any of the other NFC North cities, Briggs was an absolute beast. Playing alongside Brian Urlacher, Briggs was a pivotal player for Chicago throughout his 12-year career. Between 2005-2011, the linebacker earned seven-straight Pro Bowl nods and was named an All-Pro (’05). In six playoff appearances, Briggs notched 49 tackles.
21. Olin Kreutz
Joe Robbins/Getty Images
Nobody likes talking about linemen — unless you have an All-Pro — because it usually means that there is a problem along the line. In Olin Kreutz, the Bears had a stable force in the middle of their offensive line that paved the way for some good running backs. A third-round pick in 1998, Kreutz blossomed into one of the league’s premier centers in the early-2000s.
Chicago’s captain made six-straight Pro Bowls from 2001-2006 and was named an All-Pro in ’06. Kreutz was recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his sustained excellence, as he was named to the 2000s All-Decade Second-Team.
20. Devin Hester
Donald Miralle/Getty Images
Electric. Breathtaking. Gamechanger — Devin Hester. Drafted as a corner out of the University of Miami, Hester ultimately became the greatest return man the NFL has ever seen. Hester’s 14 punt return touchdowns are the most of all-time. Combining his punt and kick return TDs, Hester also is atop the leaderboard. Famously, Hester returned the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI 92 yards to the house. A member of the All-2000s and All-2010s Teams, Hester was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2024.
19. Jay Hilgenberg
George Rose/Getty Images
Before Olin Kreutz starred at center, it was Jay Hilgenberg getting the job done. Undrafted after playing college ball at Iowa, Hilgenberg became a stalwart for the Bears through most of the 1980s and into the early 90s. Hilgenberg first became a Pro Bowler during the famed ’85 season in which the Bears won the Super Bowl. He wouldn’t miss a Pro Bowl again until ’92 and was deemed an All-Pro in both ’88 and ’89.
18. George Connor
Vic Stein/Getty Images
Does that look like a man you want to try to stop on the gridiron? Didn’t think so. In addition to throwing punishing stiff arms, Connor was a menace on the defensive line. The Notre Dame alum — two-time National Champion — was an All-Pro defensive tackle and later became more of an edge rusher and linebacker. While a nagging knee injury cut his career short, Connor put together a Hall of Fame career with the Bears and entered Canton in 1975.
17. Stan Jones
James Drake/Getty Images
After being selected with the 55th pick in 1953, Stan Jones proved he was ahead of his time. Focusing on weight training to improve his conditioning — which was not the norm at the time — Jones became an All-Pro at guard. Seven Pro Bowls and three All-Pro nods later, Jones switched to defensive tackle to strengthen Chicago’s defense. In a testament to his revolutionary ways, Jones was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1991.
16. Bill Hewitt
Bettmann/Getty Images
Bill Hewitt was a winner. Drafted in 1932 out of Michigan, Hewitt instantly became a game-changer for the Bears and played a key role in helping the team win back-to-back NFL Championships in ’32 and ’33. He became an All-Pro in just his second season and led the league in touchdown receptions as a third-year player. Known as “The Offside Kid”, Hewitt was also well-regarded as a fearless defensive player. In 2019, the Hall of Famer was named to the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
15. Jimbo Covert
Focus on Sport/Getty Images
Before we get into his career, we have to acknowledge that Jimbo is an incredible name. Picked by the Bears with the No. 6 pick in 1983, Covert became an immediate starter at left tackle. With Covert in the starting lineup, Chicago’s rushing attack consistently ranked towards the top of the league — including a four-year stretch in which the team paced the league in rushing each year. Despite his career ending after just eight seasons, Jimbo made the Hall of Fame in 2020.
14. Mike Singletary
Bruce Dierdorff/Getty Images
Singletary is an all-time great, and perhaps one of the most underrated players in NFL history. A key cog of Chicago’s vaunted defense in the 1980s, Singletary was named a Pro Bowler each of his last 10 years in the league. Additionally, Singletary was a seven-time First-Team All-Pro and two-time Defensive Player of the Year (’85, ’88). In ’85, Singletary was the star of perhaps the greatest defense in league history. For the year, the Hall of Famer had 161 total tackles in the regular season and three fumble recoveries in the postseason.
13. Danny Fortmann
Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images Studios/Getty Images
This guy looks like he was up to something while his picture was being taken. And on the field, he usually was in the middle of the action. Picked 78th overall out of Colgate, Fortmann far surpassed his expectations. Despite balancing a budding medical career and his football career, Fortmann developed into a standout player. A member of the NFL 100 All-Time Team, the guard finished his career as a six-time All-Pro and three-time champion. Fortmann gained entrance to the HoF in 1965.
12. Richard Dent
Getty Images
An eighth-round pick, Dent peaked as a player during Chicago’s incredible run in the mid-80s. As a second-year player in 1984, Dent set a Bears single-season record with 17.5 sacks. The following season, Dent added 17.0 sacks to his ledger en route to a Super Bowl victory. The Hall of Famer was named Super Bowl MVP after recording 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in Chicago’s 46-10 triumph. Dent was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2011.
11. Doug Atkins
Robert Riger/Getty Images
After spending the first two years of his career with Cleveland, Atkins (81) joined the Bears and blossomed into a Hall of Fame player. The defensive end was named to eight Pro Bowls while in Chicago and was deemed an All-Pro in 1963 — the same year he won his only NFL Championship with Chicago. In addition to being named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team, Atkins was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982.
10. Brian Urlacher
Harry How/Getty Images
To the younger generation of Bears fans, Urlacher is the face of the franchise. Drafted No. 9 overall in 2000, Urlacher spent his entire career in Chicago before retiring in 2012. The unrelenting linebacker made the Pro Bowl as a rookie and never looked back. He led the NFL in solo tackles as a third-year player with 117 and posted nine 100+ tackle seasons overall. He was the heart and soul of a defense that brought Chicago to the Super Bowl in 2006 — his last All-Pro campaign. The four-time All-Pro was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2018.
9. Dan Hampton
Rich Pilling/Diamond Images/Getty Images
A lifelong Bear, Hampton was one of the best defensive linemen in football during the 80s. The 6-foot-5 behemoth was selected No. 4 overall out of Arkansas in 1979 and was an immediate starter for the Bears. A Pro Bowler in Year 2, Hampton reached his peak as the Bears reached theirs. In ’84, Hampton was named the NFLPA’s Defensive Lineman of the Year and was deemed an All-Pro. During Hampton’s career, Chicago allowed the fewest rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total yards, and points. The Hall called Hampton in 2002.
8. Bill George
Ron Kuntz Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images
As you can see in this image, Bill George is holding his Hall of Fame bust. A second-round pick out of Wake Forest in 1951, George was a star in Chicago for 14 seasons. While he started his career as a guard, George eventually starred as a middle linebacker — and is often credited with being the ‘creator’ of the 4-3 defense. George was named an All-Pro seven seasons in a row (eight selections overall) and played with a nasty streak that modern fans would love. In 1974, George was welcomed to Canton.
7. Bulldog Turner
Sporting News/Getty Images
Clyde ‘Bulldog’ Turner more than lived up to his name. Bulldog was a two-way player for the Bears — lining up at center on offense and linebacker when the defense took the field. As a rookie, Turner intercepted a pass from Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh and took it to the house for a touchdown…during the NFL Championship. During his illustrious career, Bulldog was a seven-time All-Pro and four-time NFL champion.
6. Sid Luckman
Vic Stein/Getty Images
The Bears have had a sad history of quarterbacks (as all fans know). However, Sid Luckman was a terrific player back in the 1940s. Drafted No. 2 overall out of Columbia in 1939, Luckman would lead the Bears to four NFL Championships between 1940-1946. He led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns three times each (’43, ’45-46), and was responsible for introducing the famed “T” formation to the NFL.
5. Mike Ditka
Focus on Sport/Getty Images
Before becoming “Da Coach” and leading the Bears to a 106-62 record — and a Super Bowl — over 11 years, Ditka put together a great career as a tight end. The No. 5 pick in 1961, Ditka was a star right away for the Bears. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first five seasons as a pro, was a two-time All-Pro, and won an NFL Championship with the Bears in 1963. Ditka, one of the greatest tight ends of all-time, entered the Hall in 1988.
4. Gale Sayers
Focus on Sport/Getty Images
Gale Sayers was a sensational football player. Often overlooked by younger fans, Sayers established himself as one of the best running backs of all-time upon entering the NFL. Known as the “Kansas Comet”, Sayers set a then-league record as a rookie by scoring 22 touchdowns. He twice led the NFL in rushing yards and earned All-Pro honors his first five years in the league. During his career, Sayers set seven NFL records and eventually was the youngest man to enter the Hall of Fame at the age of 34.
3. Bronko Nagurski
Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images
He could run, he could pass, he donned a leather helmet…who was Bronko Nagurski? Correct. Nagurski was an imposing figure at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, and wasn’t shy about bullying his way around the field. At the time, Nagurski was larger than many of the linemen on the field — making him a terrifying runner at all times. When he played defense, he was just as menacing. By the time he retired, Nagurski was a four-time All-Pro and three-time NFL champion.
2. Di*k Butkus
Focus on Sport/Getty Images
Di*k Butkus had some of the coolest nicknames of all-time — The Enforcer, The Animal, The Maestro of Mayhem(!) — and he is also arguably the toughest player in NFL history. The Chicago native was absolutely nasty on the field. He played angry and aggressive, hit harder than anyone else, and didn’t give a damn if you liked him. Butkus was named an All-Pro seven times as a Bear, was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and entered the Hall of Fame in 1979.
1. Walter Payton
Focus on Sport/Getty Images
It was never going to be anyone else. “Sweetness” is not only a Chicago legend but one of the most legendary players in NFL history. When Payton left the game in 1987, he was the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. An MVP, nine-time Pro Bowler, and first-ballot Hall of Famer, Payton is a true legend of the game. Known as an even better human than a football player, the NFL honored Payton’s legacy by renaming its Man of the Year award after Payton in 1999.
