Charles Tillman was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft (35th overall) out of Louisiana-Lafayette. He was the sixth cornerback chosen, following Terrence Newman (fifth to the Cowboys), Marcus Trufant (11th to the Seahawks) Andre Woolfolk (28th to the Titans), Sammy Davis (30th to the Chargers) and Nnamdi Asomugha (31st to the Raiders).
Tillman played 12 of his 13 NFL seasons with the Bears. He was voted to two Pro Bowls, helped the team win three division championships and one conference title, and was named the 2014 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.