He was a more impactful LB than Ray Lewis given his sideline to sideline speed, ability to cover, and spy QBs like Vick. And like, he never murdered anyone either. Here's the video of him learning the news he was elected to the HOF on the first ballot:
That is great news for sure. It was well deserved. He really transformed the middle linebacker position in his great mobility and playmaking. He has to be considered at least one of the top five middle Lbs of all time.
Urlacher was a hero for the Bears when they needed one badly. The 90s were mainly awful and after Wannestadt was fired the team was just bottom of the barrel bad. I remember draft day when the rumor was the Steelers has sights on Urlacher and we were probably gonna draft Plaxico Burress. Then the Steelers were on the clock and surprisingly nabbed Plax. I didn’t know a lot about Urlacher but he videos they showed of him on draft day were impressive. Fast forward to preseason and the Bears originally had him out OLB until they finally moved him inside because of an injury early in the season. The rest is history. Being a MLB in a bears uniform isn’t easy. Bill George invented the position. Dick Butkus perfected it. Singletary took the torch and ran with it. Urlacher had huge shoes to feel and he turned in an amazing career. Smartest defensive player I’ve ever seen. Awesome teammate. Freakish ability. A true leader. Congratulations #54.
Say what you want about Urlacher but the Bears defense looked like two completely different units when he was in there and when he wasn't. It's a shame that the coaching staff never quite recognized that. Yeah he was a doubt a step slower his last season but coming off an ACL that was expected wasn't it?. It seems like they could of gave him that 2nd year coming off of it to see what he had left in the tank. That defense appeared rudderless after he left, and again I don't think management considered his value in that regard. Congrats Brian!
It says something about how bad the coaching staff was under Jauron that a future HoF linebacker was riding the pine as a back up to... Barry Minter (I think, wasn't it?) and the only reason he saw the field as a rookies was Minter got hurt. I'm ecstatic he got in on his first ballot... Lewis was a lock, and I wasn't sure the committee would put in 2 first ballot LBs the same year.
22 interceptions. That stat alone is HOF worthy for a linebacker. Not five, not a lucky eight. Twenty two.
Really pleased about this, I knew Urlacher would go in one day, he was a lock for that. But I honestly didn't think he would get in first ballot, very cool indeed. Greatest Bears LB I've seen player and by all accounts a really stand up guy, great team mate, Urlacher deserved to go first ballot. Its nice when good things pan out the way they should. If I could change one thing though(and he prob would too), it would be the way he went about trying to get that last contract with the Bears. Urlacher wasn't close to realistic about what he could demand at that stage in his career, he made it way too easy for Emery to fuck him. A legend like him should've gone out on much better terms than that. Well said. Was it 2008(?) he broke his wrist first game of the season against the Peckers, the team suffered for that loss. Its actually why I came to appreciate Floyd's contributions a little more after he went down last year. Pass rush went down the toilet after that happened.
In 2009 tackling Erin Rodgers and Hunter Hillenmeyer replaced him. Let me be clear Hunter is no Urlacher. lol
