Top 10 Chicago Bears Players of All Time
With over a century in existence, the Chicago Bears are one of the oldest franchises in the NFL. The team won nine championships in its time, and several talented players donned a Bears uniform. Continue reading below to learn more about the top 10 Chicago Bears of all time.
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Who are the greatest Chicago Bears football players of all time? Walter Payton
Mike Singletary
Sid Luckman
Bill George
Brian Urlacher
Dick Butkus
Gale Sayers
Richard Dent
Mike Ditka
Jay Hilgenberg
1. Walter Payton
Super Bowl Champion (1985)
8-time All-Pro
1977 NFL MVP
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993
Walter Payton’s legacy is one of the greatest men to ever play in the NFL, his legacy goes beyond what he did on the field. His philanthropy earned him his own award, the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, given to the player who has committed to philanthropy and community impact every season since 1999. When he got on his tape, Payton was anything but polite to opposing defenses. . He made it to eight All-Pro selections and nine Pro Bowls in 13 years in Chicago. The quarterback had his best season in 1977 when he led the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns and won the MVP award. In 1985, Payton was crucial to Chicago’s success and a key factor in helping the Bears win the Super Bowl that season. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions, rushing yards and touchdowns and one of the best defensive backs in NFL history.
2. Mike Singletary
Super Bowl Champion (1985)
8-time All-Pro
2x DPOY
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998
Although today’s football fans know him as a coach, Mike Singletary was one of the best defensive players of his era. Singletary stood on the vaunted Chicago Bears defense of the 1980s and played as one of the best middle linebackers in the league. He was a Pro Bowler in his third season and an All-Pro in his fifth, but 1985 was Singletary’s best year. He won Defensive Player of the Year and led Chicago’s quarterback to a Super Bowl victory. He continued to dominate in the second half of the decade. He won Defensive Player of the Year again in 1988 and finished fourth in MVP voting. His consistency in the 1980s and early 1990s was remarkable, as the linebacker was selected to the Pro Bowl every year from 1983-1992 and was All-Pro every season from 1984-1991. In all, Singletary was a 10-time Pro Bowler and an eight-time All-Pro. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.
3. Sid Luckman
Four-time NFL champion (1940, 1941, 1943, 1946)
6-time All-Pro
1943 NFL MVP
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965
One of the most versatile players in Chicago Bears history, Sid Luckman was one of a kind. The Brooklyn native played defensive back, but was also the team’s quarterback and helped switch the position. In an era where football was primarily played on the ground, Luckman took to the air to start winning games. He led the league in passing yards and touchdowns three times and was known for throwing more downs than most quarterbacks of the era. In 1943, in his first season as the most outstanding passer of the league, Luckman won the Joe F. Carr Trophy, the equivalent of the NFL MVP award of today. He helped lead Chicago to a golden era of football, winning four NFL championships from 1941-1947. Luckman was a six-time All-Pro selection, named a three-time Pro Bowler and a member of the Hall of Fame’s All-1940 team. 4. Bill George
NFL champion (1963)
Eight-time All-Pro
Member of the HOF All-1950 Team
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974
4.Bill George
was an absolute force on the defensive line and one of his team’s best players at quarterback in the 1950s. In his third full season in 1954, George was named to his first Pro Bowl, but it wasn’t until the following year that he really began to dominate. From 1955 to 1961, George was named to the Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro every year, terrorizing opposing offenses and leading many great Chicago Bears defenses. In 1963, at age 34, George was still a middle linebacker for Chicago and made his eighth and final All-Pro team. After that season, he and the Bears won the NFL championship, one of the last titles before the Super Bowl combine. He was named to the Hall of Fame All-1950 team and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974.
5. Brian Urlacher
5-time All-Pro
2005 DPOY
Member of the HOF All-2000 Team
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018
Brian Urlacher was one of many names on a long list of great middle linebackers for the Chicago Bears. He was one of the most respected players in the game in the 2000s. He made his debut with the Bears right at the turn of the century and in his first year was named Defensive Player of the Year in addition to making the Pro Bowl. The next decade would be a great one for Urlacher as he made five All-Pro teams and was named a Pro Bowler six more times. He led the league in tackles in 2002, but his best year came in 2005. That season, Urlacher had six sacks and 122 tackles and earned Defensive Player of the Year honors. His name was synonymous with football in the 2000s, so it was an obvious decision when he was named to the Hall of Fame All-2000 team.
6. Dick Butkus
8-time Pro Bowler
6-time All-Pro
Member of all HOF teams of the 1960s and 1970s
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979
Not surprisingly, the next player on this list was also a center back, and one of the best at that
