The Tragedy of Mike Brown: A Tribute

After Chicago's 2008 season fizzled out in Houston, a swarm of articles began hitting sites, assessing Chicago's needs and premature draft projections. While I can't deny adding to this flurry, I feel a major part of the Bears' defense is being swept under the rug. 

The heart-wrenching destruction of Mike Brown.

I'm not going to read the numbers and the history; any person who calls himself a Bears fan knows who Mike Brown is and what he has accomplished.

Those same fans also know that Mike Brown has been hurt as much as he has been healthy. 

While Lance Briggs, Tommie Harris, and Brian Urlacher (undeservedly) received contract extensions last season, Mike Brown signed a re-constructed contract that protected Chicago from his injury-prone ways.

A downgrade, essentially.

Sure, you can't rely on an consistently injured player, but Mike Brown took this contract with dignity and played Chicago football. 

It seemed that Mike Brown would make it through an entire season without a season-ending injury.  But unfortunately, seasons consist of more than 15 games.

Writers will talk up Nathan Vasher, the poor receiver corps, and even Rex Grossman's more-than-certain departure. But nobody seems to remember the REAL Bears defensive playmaker.

Mike Brown has most likely played his last game as a Chicago Bear, and, sadly, it seems no one has noticed.

****UPDATE****

An article on the Sun-Times website reported that Chicago will not seek contract talks with Mike Brown.  This follows on the heels of Marty Booker's release, and amid talk that Brandon Llyod will not return and John Tait will retire.  Alas, M. BROWN won't be on number thirty for the 2009 season.