Jimbo Covert finally will get his due.
Long considered overlooked among the best of the best in the NFL because of a career shortened by injuries, the former Bears left tackle achieved football immortality when he was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
Covert, who retired in 1992 because of a back injury after eight seasons with the Bears from 1983-1990, was one of 10 “seniors” — players whose career ended more than 25 years ago — selected as part of the Centennial Slate in celebration of the NFL’s 100th season.
Covert is the 29th Bears player to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame and the fifth player from the 1985 Super Bowl championship team coached by Mike Ditka — following Walter Payton (1993), Mike Singletary (1998), Dan Hampton (2002) and Richard Dent (2011).