The Chicago Bears will see another one of their alumni be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This time it is in the form of linebacker Brian Urlacher. The former ILB spent his entire 12-year career in Chicago as he was one of the most feared defenders in the league. He helped shape the way the ILB position was played, and helped lead the way to some incredible Bears defensive units. A report by the Chicago Tribune provided most of the details within this article.

Urlacher, with this election, makes him a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He shares the ballot with an elite class of players including Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, and Brian Dawkins.

26 other Chicago Bears are in the Hall of Fame. Brian Urlacher now succeeds Dan Hampton as being the most recent Bears alum make it in.

Hall of Fame career

Urlacher played from 2000-2012 in Chicago. He played in 182 regular season games and seven playoff games. He was part of four division winners, including the 2006 team which won the NFC title and went to the Super Bowl. While he never did win the big game in his career, he will be remembered for what he did on the field for so many years. Personal accomplishments include eight Pro Bowls, four First-Team All-Pro honors, AP Defensive Rookie of the Year (2000), and AP Defensive Player of the Year (2005).

Urlacher had 1,040 career tackles, 314 assists, 41.5 sacks, 22 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles, 15 fumble recoveries, and 85 passes defended.

In total, he scored five defensive touchdowns. Probably one of his most famous plays took place in 2007 when he had a pick-six off Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre.

Urlacher's legacy

He will go down as a fan-favorite of the 2000s. He was the face of the team through most of his 12 career years and has still stayed relevant in the Chicago sports world even after retiring.

For 10 of his playing seasons, he was paired with seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs. That defense stood tall for many years and was the primary reason they made it to the Super Bowl in 2006. Him raising the George S. Halas Trophy when they won the NFC title that year is a moment that many fans will remember for the rest of their life.

Urlacher has been praised by star players, including Aaron Rodgers. Quoted by Bears beat writer Brad Biggs, "Brian Urlacher should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He is one of my favorites, if not my favorite player." It has been a rough go for Bears fans since he retired. They had not made the playoffs and have only one .500 season. The team is hoping to turn things around with a new coach and young players, but right now the fans can be happy about Urlacher's accomplishments.