No franchise in football history has had more star linebackers than the Bears.
The league selected only one player, though, among the linebackers on its NFL 100 All-Time Team, released Friday night.
The pick was Dick Butkus, a five-team first-team all-pro and eight-time Pro Bowl player in his Bears career, which ran from 1965-73. The physical, imposing Butkus became the prototypical middle linebacker for generations to come. He was a unanimous selection by the 26-member selection panel.
“He’s that icon that every kid needs to research,” former Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said in the NFL Network announcement show.