A skinny outside linebacker when drafted in 2000, he became everything the Bears needed in a franchise player. He became an icon, someone who defined a generation of football in a city and filled a gap not many originally expected him to. He did it by being himself. Not because he wanted to, because he had to. He became a Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, because he was the best at what he did, without question. Not because he won a popularity contest. He lead the Bears to their first conference championship in over 20 years in 2006 because he was the foundational piece of a wave long-awaited.
A franchise-defining first ballot Hall of Famer, Brian Urlacher is a genuine Bears all-time great
