While some teams are trading for future HOF defensive ends and others are celebrating their QB on the cover of a video game, most of us are existing in the doldrums of the offseason. Join us in our quest to provide the best Bears centered topics around. Our next topic?
If the Bears retire one more number, which # should it be?
Current #‘s retired by Chicago Bears:
- 3 – Bronko Nagurski (FB/LB/T)
- 5 – George McAfee (RB/DB)
- 7 – George Halas (Founder/Coach/Player)
- 28 – Willie Galimore (RB)
- 34 – Walter Payton (RB)
- 40 – Gale Sayers (RB)
- 41 – Brian Piccolo (RB)
- 42 – Sid Luckman (QB)
- 51 – Dick Butkus (LB)
- 56 – Bill Hewitt (E)
- 61 – Bill George (LB)
- 66 – Clyde “Bulldog” Turner (C/LB)
- 77 – Red Grange (HB)
- 89 – Mike Ditka (TE)
Now, before I even start with this one, let me be clear. I am not in favor of having so many retired numbers already and feel we, of all franchises, should come up with another way to honor our myriad legends so as to keep all the numbers in circulation.
As my colleague, Lester pointed out in his article a year ago, it might be time to consider UN-retiring some numbers! A ring of honor, some sort of lit up number on the iconic columns or even a special patch on each jersey commemorating the original GOAT to don the number are a few cool examples. Here is another idea that would be sweet at Soldier Field.
Granted, this idea is intended for numbers below 51, which is more than half of Chicago’s retired numbers to begin with, but we could also just extend this idea from one goal-line to the opposite with the number ‘1’ at one 1-yard line and the number ‘99’ on the opposite 1-yard line. Having a blue hash mark highlighting the all time Bears greats would be super cool to see, but I digress.
Now that I got that out of the way, I return to the original question.
IF the Bears decide to retire one more number, which number should it be?
Gotta be #54 for me.
Inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2018, Brian Urlacher was not only a GOAT in Chicago, but the entire NFL. He was team captain and leader on and off the field the last time the Bears ever appeared in a Super Bowl and is the one jersey still seen more than any other at every Bears game. Though #23 and #50 were also strong contenders here, ultimately #54 gets my vote.
