Almost Super

Super Bowl XLI on February 4, 2007, was the first Super Bowl played in a driving rain, the first to feature even one African-American head coach (let alone two), and the first in which the opening kickoff was returned for a touchdown.  

The Bears had rolled through a league-best 13-3 regular season. They scored 427 points (including 65 by the defense and special teams), while allowing only 255. Eight Bears were selected for the Pro Bowl: center Olin Kreutz, guard Ruben Brown, defensive end Tommie Harris, linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, special teamer Brendan Ayanbadejo, kicker Robbie Gould, and return man Devin Hester. 

 

DEVIN HESTER TAKES THE OPENING KICKOFF TO THE HOUSE.

Quarterback Rex Grossman had excelled while leading the Bears to wins in their first seven games, but he struggled as the season went along. After Grossman committed 19 turnovers in the second half of the season, sportswriters asked head coach Lovie Smith whether he might make a change for the playoffs. Smith’s answer has lived on as a sound bite ever since. “Rex is our quarterback,” he said in his syrupy Texas drawl.

     Smith’s trust in Grossman was rewarded when the Bears squeaked past the Seattle Seahawks in overtime and then routed the New Orleans Saints to punch their ticket to the franchise’s first Super Bowl since the legendary 1985 season.

     When Smith met his counterpart and old friend, Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts, on the field at Miami’s Dolphin Stadium before the game, they shook hands as the first African-American head coaches in Super Bowl history. “I just told Lovie how proud I was of the moment,” said Dungy.

     Then the Colts’ Adam Vinatieri kicked off to Hester, and the sensational rookie who’d set an NFL record with six return touchdowns on the year did not disappoint. He raced 92 yards to the opposite end zone. After Gould added the extra point, the Bears led 7-0.

     Fourteen seconds had been played. Fifty-nine minutes and 46 seconds remained, but Hester (who eventually proved to be the greatest returner of all time) was done for all intents and purposes. From then on, the Colts squibbed every kickoff and punted the ball near him only once.

     The Colts’ first possession ended with safety Chris Harris intercepting a Peyton Manning pass at the Bears’ 29-yard line. Alas, the Bears failed to move the ball and were forced to punt. A 53-yard strike from Manning to Reggie Wayne got the Colts onto the scoreboard, but a botched extra point left the Bears ahead 7-6.

     The Bears fumbled the ensuing pooch kick (while Hester waited in vain at his own goal line), and Indianapolis recovered. The Colts returned the favor on the very next play when running back Joseph Addai coughed up the football to Bears defensive end Mark Anderson. On the next play, Bears running back Thomas Jones scampered 52 yards down to the Colts’ five-yard line. Then Grossman found Muhsin Muhammad in the end zone, extending the Bears’ lead to 14-6.

     The Bears did not score again until Gould booted a 44-yard field goal with 1:14 left in the third quarter. In the meantime, Prince delivered a stupendous halftime show and the Colts delivered a touchdown and three field goals against the Bears’ bend-but-don’t-break defense.

     At the outset of the fourth quarter, the Colts were ahead 22-17, not an insurmountable lead by any means. But then came the play of the game. Grossman’s pass intended for Muhammad was picked off by Kelvin Haynes and taken 56 yards for a touchdown. The Bears had now been outscored 23-3 since the first quarter. The ensuing kickoff was soon followed by the coup de grace, another interception of Grossman.

     The final score was 29-17. “A frustrating loss,” Grossman said. “There were definitely opportunities for us to take that game, and we didn't do it.” For his part, Manning was later overheard saying that the Colts “should’ve scored 70 [points].” They had controlled the ball for 38 minutes, earning 24 first downs to the Bears’ 11 and amassing 430 yards of offense to the Bears’ 265. The Bears had lost to a superior team and to perhaps the greatest quarterback of all time.

 

 

Check out our book Heydays: Great Stories in Chicago Sports on Amazon. 

 

Fantastic Finishes: Mike Brown and the 2001 Bears

The 2001 Bears lost their season opener to the Baltimore Ravens, defending Super Bowl champions, and then reeled off four straight wins. Their winning streak was in danger on October 28 when the Bears spotted the San Francisco 49ers two touchdowns in the first quarter and lost quarterback Jim Miller with a hip injury in the second. Halfway through the third quarter, 49ers safety Zack Bronson intercepted a pass from Miller’s backup, Shane Matthews, and returned it 97 yards for a touchdown. The Bears trailed 28-9.

Rookie running back Anthony Thomas rambled 19 yards for a Bears touchdown late in the quarter, and Paul Edinger’s extra point made it 28-16. San Francisco’s first possession of the fourth quarter resulted in a field goal, and, more importantly, took seven and a half minutes off the clock. The 49ers now led 31-16. Matthews engineered a drive that culminated in a 13-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver David Terrell. Edinger’s kick made it 31-23 with 4:08 left to play. Now the Bears were within striking distance, and their defense rose to the occasion, forcing a three-and-out on the 49ers’ next possession.

After San Francisco punted, the Bears started from their own 33-yard line with 2:46 remaining. Again, Matthews coolly drove his team downfield. Another touchdown pass to Terrell made the score 31-29 with 26 seconds left. Matthews had completed 25 of 31 attempts for 166 yards and three touchdowns, while Thomas had rushed 27 times for 127 yards—but it would be all for naught unless the Bears made the two-point conversion.

They did, on a straight-ahead plunge by Thomas, and the game was tied 31-31.

 

MIKE BROWN

The overtime period lasted only 16 seconds. The 49ers won the coin flip and received the kickoff. On the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Jeff Garcia dropped back, saw Terrell Owens slanting across the middle, and let fly. The pass bounced off Owens and popped right into the arms of Bears safety Mike Brown. “I couldn’t believe it,” Garcia said. Neither could Brown believe his good fortune. He tucked the ball away and scurried 33 yards for a touchdown. The Bears won 37-31. “We are a pretty opportunistic team,” said linebacker Brian Urlacher.

The next Sunday, the Bears took on the Cleveland Browns, also at Soldier Field. Again they dug themselves a hole, trailing 21-7 after three quarters. They were still behind 21-7 when they took possession of the ball at their own 20-yard line with 1:52 remaining in the game. Matthews completed six consecutive passes as the Bears advanced and the clock ticked down. On the eighth play of the drive, Matthews connected with Marty Booker for a touchdown from nine yards out. Edinger’s extra point made it 21-14, but there were only 28 seconds left.

The Bears, naturally, lined up for an onside kick. It worked to perfection. Edinger’s kick tumbled into a crowd of players from both teams, and the Bears’ Bobbie Howard came away with the ball after a spirited scrum at midfield. “There’s no telling how many times it changed hands,” said Bears head coach Dick Jauron.

Starting from the Cleveland 47-yard line, Matthews completed two short passes to running back James Allen. Now the Bears had 34 yards to go and time enough for one more play. Matthews took the snap, stepped up in the pocket, and flung a Hail Mary pass into the end zone. Of course, a number of players were waiting for the ball to come down. When it did, it ricocheted off a helmet or shoulder and fluttered onto the outstretched fingertips of Allen, who was in a full-out dive. He secured it just inches above the ground for one of the most sensational catches that anyone would ever see. The clock read 0:00. “Can you believe a running back ran all the way down the field to catch that pass?” Browns safety Devin Bush asked incredulously. Edinger’s extra point tied the score, and the game went into overtime.

This time, the extra period lasted almost three minutes—but it ended with déjà vu all over again. After the Bears won the coin toss and failed to move the ball, the Browns took over at their own 28-yard line. On first down, Bears linebacker Rosevelt Colvin sacked Cleveland quarterback Tim Couch. On second down, Couch again went back to pass. Bears defensive end Bryan Robinson tipped the ball, which spun in the air and (wouldn’t you know it?) was caught by Mike Brown, who returned it for his second overtime touchdown in as many weeks. That particular feat had never been done before and is unlikely to be repeated. “When the ball was up in the air,” said Brown, “I was like, ‘I can’t believe it. Here we go again.’” The Bears won 27-21.                           

The Bears had pulled off two of the most miraculous wins in their history in back-to-back games. They won the rest of their regular-season contests except the two against the arch-rival Green Bay Packers, finishing at 13-3 and capturing the NFC Central title. Their playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on January 6, 2002, was the last game ever played at the original Soldier Field.

 

Check out our book Heydays: Great Stories in Chicago Sports on Amazon.   

Chicago Bears Trophy Case

The Bears are in Lake Forest preparing for the first season of their second century. Their fans, as always, are ready for some football--but not sure whether the Bears' arrow is pointed up or down and not sure just how strange the season will prove to be as the NFL tries to navigate through the pandemic. 

 

Here's a look back at some of the men who have made the Bears Chicago's favorite team and one of the greatest franchises in all of sports.

 

Bears Retired Numbers:

  3 - Bronko Nagurski 

  5 - George McAfee 

  7 - George Halas 

28 - Willie Galimore
34 - Walter Payton
40 - Gale Sayers
41 - Brian Piccolo
42 - Sid Luckman
51 - Dick Butkus
56 - Bill Hewitt
61 - Bill George
66 - Clyde "Bulldog" Turner
77 - Red Grange   

89 - Mike Ditka

World Champion Head Coaches:
1921 - George Halas
1932 - Ralph Jones
1933 - George Halas
1940 - George Halas
1941 - George Halas
1943 - Luke Johnsos (co-coach)
1943 - Hunk Anderson (co-coach)
1946 - George Halas
1963 - George Halas
1985 - Mike Ditka

Super Bowl Most Valuable Player:

1986 - Richard Dent

 

NFL Most Valuable Player:
1943 - Sid Luckman
1977 - Walter Payton

 

Bert Bell NFL Player of the Year Award:

1985 - Walter Payton

NFL Leading Rusher:
1934 - Beattie Feathers
1939 - Bill Osmanski
1956 - Rick Casares
1969 - Gale Sayers
1977 - Walter Payton

NFL Leading Passer:
1943 - Sid Luckman
1945 - Sid Luckman
1946 - Sid Luckman
1949 - Johnny Lujack

NFL Leading Scorer:
1934 - Jack Manders

1937 - Jack Manders
1965 - Gale Sayers
1985 - Kevin Butler

Offensive Player of the Year:

1977 - Walter Payton

 

Defensive Player of the Year:
1985 - Mike Singletary
1988 - Mike Singletary
2005 - Brian Urlacher

Offensive Rookie of the Year:
1961 - Mike Ditka

1962 - Ronnie Bull

1965 - Gale Sayers

2001 - Anthony Thomas

Defensive Rookie of the Year:
1973 - Wally Chambers
1990 - Mark Carrier
2000 - Brian Urlacher

NFL Coach of the Year:
1963 - George Halas
1965 - George Halas
1985 - Mike Ditka
1988 - Mike Ditka
2001 - Dick Jauron
2005 - Lovie Smith

2018 - Matt Nagy

 

Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award*

1977 - Walter Payton

1987 - Dave Duerson

1990 - Mike Singletary 

2000 - Jim Flanigan

2013 - Charles Tillman

 

* Named for Walter Payton in 1999.

Bears By the Numbers

The Bears are the NFL's flagship franchise, have won nine world championships, have more Hall of Famers than any other team, and boast more than a handful of names that are truly legendary--Halas, Grange, Nagurski, Luckman, Sayers, Butkus, and Payton, to name the more obvious ones.  

For no particular reason, we thought it would be fun to name the greatest Bears by uniform number, so here goes. (Asterisks indicate retired numbers.)

 

  1. Jimmy Conzelman, HB/E, 1920

  2. Paddy Driscoll, HB/QB, 1926 - 1929

  3. * Bronko Nagurski, FB/LB/T, 1930 - 1937, 1943

  4. Jim Harbaugh, QB, 1988 - 1993

  5. * George McAfee, HB/DB, 1940 - 1950

  6. Jay Cutler, QB, 2009 - 2016

  7. * George Halas, E, 1920 - 1928

  8. Rex Grossman, QB, 2002 - 2008

  9. Jim McMahon, QB, 1982 - 1988

10. Rudy Bukich, QB, 1963 - 1968

11. Jack Concannon, QB, 1967 - 1971

12. Link Lyman, T, 1926 - 1934

13. George Trafton, C, 1920 - 1932

14. Dick Plasman, T/E, 1937 - 1941, 1944

15. Brandon Marshall, WR, 2012 - 2014

16. George Blanda, QB/K, 1953 - 1958

17. Richie Petitbon, DB, 1959 - 1968

18. Mike Tomczak, QB, 1985 - 1990

19. Gary Huff, QB, 1973 - 1976

20. Mark Carrier, DB, 1990 - 1996

21. Donnell Woolford, DB, 1989 - 1996

22. Matt Forte, RB, 2008 - 2015

23. Devin Hester, KR/WR, 2006 - 2013

24. Roosevelt Taylor, DB, 1961 - 1969

25. Todd Bell, DB, 1981 - 1987

26. Bennie McRae, DB, 1962 - 1970

27. Mike Richardson, DB, 1983 - 1988

28. * Willie Galimore, RB, 1957 - 1963

29. Ronnie Bull, RB, 1962 - 1974

30. Mike Brown, DB, 2000 - 2008

31. Joe Fortunato, LB, 1955 - 1966

32. Johnny Lujack, QB/DB, 1948 - 1951

33. Charles Tillman, DB, 2003 - 2014 

34. * Walter Payton, RB, 1975 - 1987

35. Neal Anderson, RB, 1986 - 1993

36. Markus Paul, DB, 1989 - 1993

37. Tony Parrish, DB, 1998 - 2001 

38. Danieal Manning, DB, 2006 - 2010

39. Eddie Jackson, DB, 2017 - present

40. * Gale Sayers, RB/KR, 1965 - 1971

41. * Brian Piccolo, RB, 1966 - 1969

42. * Sid Luckman, QB/DB, 1939 - 1950

43. Jim Dooley, E, 1952 - 1961

44. Terry Schmidt, DB, 1976 - 1984

45. Gary Fencik, DB, 1976 - 1987

46. Doug Plank, DB, 1975 - 1982

47. Johnny Morris, WR/RB, 1958 - 1967

48. Allan Ellis, DB, 1973 - 1980

49. Charlie Bivins, RB/TE, 1960 -1966

50. Mike Singletary, LB, 1981 - 1992

51. * Dick Butkus, LB, 1965 - 1973

52. Dan Neal, C, 1976 - 1983

53. Nick Roach, LB, 2007 - 2012

54. Brian Urlacher, LB, 2000 - 2012

55. Lance Briggs, LB, 2003 - 2014

56. * Bill Hewitt, E/DE, 1932 - 1936

57. Olin Kreutz, C, 1998 - 2010

58. Wilber Marshall, LB, 1984 - 1987

59. Gary Campbell, LB, 1977 - 1983

60. Wally Chambers, DT/DE, 1973 - 1977

61. * Bill George, LB/DT/G, 1952 - 1965

62. Mark Bortz, G, 1983 - 1994

63. Jay Hilgenberg, C, 1981 - 1991

64. Andy Heck, T/G, 1994 - 1998

65. Noah Jackson, G, 1975 - 1983

66. * Bulldog Turner, C/LB, 1940 - 1952

67. Jerry Fontenot, C/G, 1989  - 1996

68. Jim Osborne, DT, 1972 - 1984

69. Revie Sorey, G, 1975 - 1982

70. Herman Lee, T, 1958 - 1966

71. James "Big Cat" Williams, T, 1991 - 2002

72. Jim Cadile, G/T, 1962 - 1972

73. Mike Hartenstine, DE, 1975 - 1986

74. Jimbo Covert, T, 1983 - 1990

75. Kyle Long, T, 2013 - 2019

76. Steve McMichael, DT, 1981 - 1993

77. * Red Grange, HB/DB, 1925, 1929 - 1934

78. Stan Jones, G/T/DT, 1954 - 1965

79. Dick Evey, DT/DE, 1964 - 1969

80. Curtis Conway, WR, 1993 - 1999

81. Doug Atkins, DE, 1955 - 1966

82. Wendell Davis, WR, 1988 - 1993

83. Willie Gault, WR, 1983 - 1987

84. Brian Baschnagel, WR, 1977 - 1984

85. Dennis McKinnon, WR, 1983 - 1989

86. Marty Booker, WR, 1999 - 2008

87. Ed O'Bradovich, DE, 1962 - 1971

88. Bobby Joe Green, P, 1962 - 1973

89. * Mike Ditka, TE, 1961 - 1966

90. Julius Peppers, DE, 2010 - 2013

91. Tommie Harris, DT, 204 - 2010

92. Hunter Hillenmeyer, LB, 2003 - 2010

93. Adawale Ogunleye, DE, 2004 - 2009

94. Leonard Floyd, LB, 2016 - 2019

95. Richard Dent, DE, 1983 - 1993, 1995

96. Alex Brown, DE, 2002 - 2009

97. Chris Zorich, DT, 1991 - 1997

98. Bryan Robinson, DT/DE, 1998 - 2003

99. Dan Hampton, DE/DT, 1979 - 1990

 

Chicago Sports Memories is Back!

THEO EPSTEIN

A lot of water has flowed under the proverbial bridge since you last heard from us at the end of 2011. Here are some highlights of the Chicago sports landscape at that time.

• The Bulls' Derrick Rose was the NBA's reigning MVP (the youngest in league history at age 22), head coach Tom Thibodeau was the incumbent coach of the year, and the Bulls were coming off a season in which they had racked up the best record in the league (62-20) and made it to the Eastern Conference finals. To say the future looked bright for all concerned would be a gross understatement.
• The Blackhawks, a year and a half removed from their first Stanley Cup championship since 1961, were in the midst of a stretch under head coach Joel Quenneville during which they would qualify for the NHL playoffs for nine consecutive seasons and capture the Cup twice more. Their core group of young players (including Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Patrick Sharp, Brent Seabrook, and Corey Crawford) would remain together for years to come.
  
• The Bears had just completed an 8-8 season which ranked as a profound disappointment after a trip to the NFC championship game the year before. Quarterback Jay Cutler remained an enigma; he had not yet attained the superstardom predicted for him, and it was beginning to look as if he never would. Head coach Lovie Smith and future Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher would both be gone a year later.
  
• The White Sox had just parted ways with blustery manager Ozzie Guillen and replaced him with the placid Robin Ventura, who had never publicly expressed interest in managing until the day he was hired. Guillen's tumultuous tenure, of course, had produced (in 2005) the franchise's first world championship since 1917, so his place in Pale Hose history was secure. Lanky lefthander Chris Sale, just twenty-two, was poised to emerge as a major star.
• The Cubs had just endured a 71-91 slog under overmatched manager Mike Quade. Shortstop Starlin Castro, twenty-one, made the All-Star team and led the National League in hits; he appeared to be a perennial star in the making. Most importantly, Theo Epstein had just been hired to lead the Cubs' baseball operations. Just thirty-seven years old, he had already been general manager of the Boston Red Sox for nine years and in 2004 had engineered their first world championship since 1918. He had joined the Cubs to try and end the world-famous drought that stretched all the way back to 1908.
  

2011 Chicago Sports Memories Awards

Play of the Year: Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks, April 27

JONATHAN TOEWS

     After spotting the Vancouver Canucks the first three games of their first-round playoff series, the Hawks roared back to take the next three contests, forcing a Game 7 on April 27.
     In that game, the Hawks trailed 1-0 as the clock wound down to the two-minute mark in the third period. Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews took possession of the puck off an errant Vanvouver pass at center ice, circled, then moved in on the left wing. As he was being dragged down by two Canucks defenders, Toews slid the puck across to Marian Hossa, whose backhanded attempt was stoppped by goalie Roberto Luongo.
     Unfortunately for Luongo, the rebound landed in front of Toews, who poked it into the net as he himself skidded face-first along the ice. There was 1:56 remaining in regulation, and it looked as if the Hawks might pull off a miracle and capture the series after all. They ended up losing in overtime, but they demonstrated the heart and resilience that will contimue to be their trademark for years to come with Toews as their captain and Joel Quenneville as head coach.

JAY CUTLER

Game of the Year: Bears vs. Green Bay Packers, January 23

     For the first 90 years of their existence, the Bears met their ancient rivals from up north only once in posteason play, in 1941 when the two teams tied for the Western Division title and needed a special playoff game to decide which would go to the NFL championship game.
     The Bears and Packers met for the second time in postseason play this past January, again with a trip to the NFL championship game (now known as the Super Bowl) riding on the outcome.
     In the NFC title game at Soldier Field on January 23, a knee injury forced Bears quarterback Jay Cutler out of the game early in the third quarter with the Bears trailing 14-0. Afterwards, Cutler had to endure ridiculous questions about why he hadn't been able to continue with a torn MCL (medial collateral ligament)!
     The Bears got to within 14-7 early in the fourth quarter, but finally went down to defeat 21-14. The biggest Chicago game of the year and of the past several years ended in frustration and recrimination. Meanwhile, the Packers went on to win the Super Bowl.       

DERRICK ROSE

Player of the Year: Derrick Rose, Bulls

     The third-year point guard carried the Bulls to the NBA's best regular-season record at 62-20 and in so doing became the youngest winner of the league's Most Valuable Player award at only 22. The Bulls made the conference finals, and they have justifiably high hopes again as they enter the truncated 2011-12 season.
     Rose's play on the court is truly jaw-dropping, but what makes him so much more impressive is his maturity, dignity, and humility. You might lump it all together under one word: class. Fame and fortune have not changed Rose at all. If anything, they have made him even more respectful and accountable to his teammates, to the game of basketball, and to those less fortunate than himself.
     Is it all too good to be true? We'll have plenty of time to find out, because Rose will be with the Bulls for a long time. For now, we'll close with a quote from Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf: "If you don't see something special in Derrick Rose, then you're blind."

Honorable Mention (in alphabetical order):
Marian Hossa, Blackhawks; Patrick Kane, Blackhawks; Paul Konerko, White Sox; Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks; Brian Urlacher, Bears.

Bears First-Round Draft Picks



BRIAN URLACHER

     If past history is any indication, offensive tackle Gabe Carimi of Wisconsin has a 10.6 percent chance to eventually be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Nine of his 85 predecessors as a Bears first-round draft choice have done so, which is a pretty good success rate. Alas, at least an equal number have proven to be all but worthless. Time will tell whether Carimi gets his bust in Canton, goes bust, or ends up somewhere in between.     
     Two of the Bears' first-round draft picks were future Bears head coaches (Jim Dooley and Mike Ditka). Three were Heisman Trophy winners (Tom Harmon, Johnny Lujack, and Rashaan Salaam).
     In 1965, the Bears drafted two future Hall of Famers (Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers) with consecutive picks. From 1975 (Walter Payton) through 1990 (Mark Carrier), every first-round pick became a productive player, at least for a while, and most became stars. For the past 20 years, it has been a lot more bad than good. Brian Urlacher is the only bonafide all-timer in the group, while Tommie Harris was a star that shone briefly. Rex Grossman was not quite as good as his admirers wished him to be nor quite as bad as his detractors believed him to be.
     Below is the complete list of Bears first-round draft choices. The player's overall draft position is in parentheses, and an asterisk indicates a Hall of Famer.


Bears first-round draft picks

1936 - Joe Stydahar, tackle, West Virginia (6)*
1937 - Les McDonald, end, Nebraska (8)
1938 - Joe Gray, back, Oregon State (10)
1939 - Sid Luckman, quarterback, Columbia (2)*
1939 - Bill Osmanski, fullback, Holy Cross (6)

1940 - Bulldog Turner, center, Hardin-Simmons (7)*
1941 - Tom Harmon, halfback, Michigan (1)
1941 - Norm Standlee, fullback, Stanford (3)
1941 - Don Scott, back, Ohio State (9)
1942 - Frankie Albert, quarterback, Stanford (10)
1943 - Bob Steuber, halfback, DePauw (9)
1944 - Ray Evans, tailback, Kansas (9)
1945 - Don Lund, back, Michigan (7)
1946 - Johnny Lujack, quarterback, Notre Dame (4)
1947 - Bob Fenimore, halfback, Oklahoma State (1)
1947 - Don Kindt, defensive back, Wisconsin (11)
1948 - Bobby Layne, quarterback, Texas (3)*
1948 - Max Bumgardner, defensive end, Texas (10)
1949 - Dick Harris, center, Texas (11)

1950 - Chuck Hunsinger, halfback, Florida (3)
1950 - Fred Morrison, fullback, Ohio State (10)
1951 - Bob Williams, quarterback, Notre Dame (2)
1951 - Gene Schroeder, end, Virginia (12)
1952 - Jim Dooley, back, Miami - Florida (8)
1953 - Billy Anderson, defensive back, Compton - Calif. (6)
1954 - Stan Wallace, defensive back, Illinois (6)
1955 - Ron Drzewiecki, halfback, Marquette (11)
1956 - Tex Schriewer, end, Texas (10)
1957 - Earl Leggett, defensive tackle, LSU (13)
1958 - Chuck Howley, linebacker, West Virginia (7)
1959 - Don Clark, back, Ohio State (7)

1960 - Roger Davis, guard, Syracuse (7)
1961 - Mike Ditka, tight end, Pittsburgh (5)*
1962 - Ronnie Bull, running back, Baylor (7)
1963 - Dave Behrman, center, Michigan State (11)
1964 - Dick Evey, defensive tackle, Tennessee (14)
1965 - Dick Butkus, linebacker, Illinois (3)*
1965 - Gale Sayers, running back, Kansas (4)*
1965 - Steve DeLong, defensive end, Tennessee (6)
1966 - George Rice, defensive tackle, LSU (12)
1967 - Loyd Phillips, defensive end, Arkansas (10)
1968 - Mike Hull, running back , USC (16)
1969 - Rufus Mayes, tackle, Ohio State (14)

1970 - none
1971 - Joe Moore, running back, Missouri (11)
1972 - Lionel Antoine, tackle, Southern Illinois (3)
1972 - Craig Clemons, defensive back, Iowa (12)
1973 - Wally Chambers, defensive tackle, Eastern Kentucky (8)
1974 - Waymond Bryant, linebacker, Tennessee State (4)
1974 - Dave Gallagher, defensive end, Michigan (8)
1975 - Walter Payton, running back, Jackson State (4)*
1976 - Dennis Lick, tackle, Wisconsin (8)
1977 - Ted Albrecht, tackle, California (16)
1978 - none
1979 - Dan Hampton, defensive end, Arkansas (4)*
1979 - Al Harris, defensive end, Arizona State (8)

1980 - Otis Wilson, linebacker, Louisville (19)
1981 - Keith Van Horne, tackle, USC (11)
1982 - Jim McMahon, quarterback, Brigham Young (5)
1983 - Jimbo Covert, tackle, Pittsburgh (6)
1983 - Willie Gault, wide receiver, Tennessee (18)
1984 - Wilber Marshall, linebacker, Florida (11)
1985 - William Perry, defensive tackle, Clemson (22)
1986 - Neal Anderson, running back, Florida (27)
1987 - Jim Harbaugh, quarterback, Michigan (26)
1988 - Brad Muster, fullback, Stanford (23)
1988 - Wendell Davis, wide receiver, LSU (27)
1989 - Donnell Woolford, defensive back, Clemson (11)
1989 - Trace Armstrong, defensive end, Florida (12)

1990 - Mark Carrier, defensive back, USC (6)
1991 - Stan Thomas, tackle, Texas (22)
1992 - Alonzo Spellman, defensive end, Ohio State (22)
1993 - Curtis Conway, wide receiver, USC (7)
1994 - John Thierry, defensive end, Alcorn State (11)
1995 - Rashaan Salaam, running back, Colorado (21)
1996 - Walt Harris, defensive back, Mississippi State (13)
1997 - none
1998 - Curtis Enis, running back, Penn State (5)
1999 - Cade McNown, quarterback, UCLA (12)

2000 - Brian Urlacher, linebacker, New Mexico (9)
2001 - David Terrell, wide receiver, Michigan (8)
2002 - Marc Colombo, tackle, Boston College (29)
2003 - Michael Haynes, defensive end, Penn State (14)
2003 - Rex Grossman, quarterback, Florida (22)
2004 - Tommie Harris, defensive tackle, Oklahoma (14)
2005 - Cedric Benson, running back, Texas (4)

2006 - none
2007 - Greg Olsen, tight end, Miami - Florida (31)
2008 - Chris Williams, tackle, Vanderbilt (14)
2009 - none
2010 - none

2011 - Gabe Carimi, tackle, Wisconsin