TAB's Top 20 Favorite Chicago Bears Since 1980

Why 1980? It's when I was born.

No, Jay Cutler does not make this list. Well, he gets his photo here, so I guess that somehow qualifies him as an honorable mention candidate.

In the last 30 years, there have been some great highs and some deep lows, with characters leading along the way that Chicago football fans will always remember.

A few names that won't make this list include Rashan Salaam, Curtis Enis and the ultimate d-bag, Cedric Benson. There are certainly more than 20 great personalities and players I could have ranked, but this is my Top 20.

20. Curtis Conway, WR

Conway is without a doubt the closest thing to a home-grown marquee wide receiver this organization put on the field in the last 20 years.

He played for the Bears from 1993-99, and had his best season in 1996 when he recorded 81 receptions for 1,049 yards and seven touchdowns.

He is now married to professional boxer and daughter of the Greatest of All Time, Laila Ali.

19. Erik Kramer, QB

In 1995, Kramer had perhaps the best season for any Bears quarterback in the long history of the franchise. He threw for 3,838 yards, 29 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions with a 93.5 passer rating.

Maybe it's because Kramer's the only real quarterback the team has had since 1990, and maybe it's because he performed well during his Chicago tenure, but he has always been one of my favorite quarterbacks.

18. Tony Parrish, S

Parrish was a big hitter who found ways to separate the ball from whomever was carrying it. He led the team in interceptions in 2000.

As has been the history for the Bears, Parrish had health concerns and was allowed to leave for San Francisco in favor of a younger safety, Mike Brown.

17. William Perry, DT

As far as personalities go, he might be Top Five, but I'm going to live the rest of my life resenting him for scoring what should have been Walter Payton's rushing touchdown in the Super Bowl.

And remember, he might be young, but he's no dumb cookie.

16.Thomas Jones, RB

Maybe it's because I'm still bitter at the Bears for trading him for essentially nothing, or maybe it's because they replaced him with Cedric Benson, but I LOVED how Jones played for the Bears.

He was only here from 2004-06, but ranks fifth in franchise history in rushing yards with 3.493 as a Bears. He was instrumental in the Bears making the Super Bowl and always carried himself with class... something his replacement never accomplished.

15. Kevin Butler, K

He's the all time leading scorer in the history of the franchise, and was as solid a kicker as there was in the game.

Just ask a team that doesn't have a sure thing kicking for it how valuable a kicker can be. I'll probably get blasted for putting him in the Top 15, but anyone nicknamed "Butthead" ranks highly in my book.

14. Steve McMichael, DT

Mongo played for the Bears from 1981-93 and was overshadowed his entire career by other players on the Bears defense, from Richard Dent and Dan Hampton to Trace Armstrong.

But here are some often over-looked stats: McMichael is currently second on the Bears' all time list in sacks (92.5) and leads Brian Urlacher by one tackle for the career lead in the history of the franchise (814). He also holds the Bears career record for safeties (3).

13 Wilbur Marshall, LB

Marshall was a great blitzing linebacker who moved on from the Bears to have a nice career in Washington as well. He played opposite Otis Wilson in the legendary linebacking corps in 1985 that probably still makes Eric Dickerson's head hurt.

12. Devin Hester, RET

This book is not yet finished, but his early career has been something of legend. I'll put him in my Top 20 as a return man only, though, with his receiving career marked as a TBD.

Best one-liner I've heard to date regarding Hester: Don't give him anything for Christmas; he'll return that, too.

11. Mark Carrier, S

Carrier was drafted out of USC in 1990 and won the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award that season, although most people remember the Offensive Rookie of the Year from that season, Emmitt Smith.

Carrier was cut from the same cloth as the great hitters of the Bears' defenses of the 1980s. He would go up and pick the ball off every once in a while, but he'd rather knock you out cold.

10. Richard Dent, DE

Dent absolutely wrecked Tony Eason in the Super Bowl in 1986, earning Super Bowl MVP honors. He ended his Chicago career with 124.5 sacks, good for 30 more than second on the team's all time list.

9. Dan Hampton, DL

He's in the Hall of Fame for being a great defensive lineman for the Bears, leading the teams of the early 1980s. He played for the team from 1979-90 and finished his career with 82 sacks and four Pro Bowl appearances.

8. Jim Harbaugh, QB

His numbers were never spectacular, but between 1990-93, he was the leader of some really bad Bears teams. He always tried hard, and got his tail whipped for his efforts.

Harbaugh's better remembered as A) taking the Colts to the AFC Championship game, B) the brother of current Ravens' coach John Harbaugh, and C) the current head coach at Stanford.

7. Gary Fencik, S

Fencik was good enough that he made the famous 46 Defense possible. He could ball hawk with the best defensive backs in the game, but was a much bigger fan of knocking whomever had the ball into Tuesday afternoon.

He was a ferocious hitter and leader on a great defensive unit.

6. Tom Waddle, WR

Good ol' Number 87. Man did he ever get his butt kicked... but he always got up. Now he's a great sports talk shot host on Chicago's ESPN 1000.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbVU-HLjZ5Q

5. Neal Anderson, RB

He followed Walter Payton as the primary running back for the Bears and was a Pro Bowler himself. He carried on the tradition of great Bears running backs, leading the team in rushing every year between 1987 and 1993.

His best season was 1989, when he totaled 1,275 yards and 11 touchdowns.

I personally loved his huge pacifier mouthpiece.

4. Brian Urlacher, LB

The scary part of Urlacher's resume is that he was a safety who returned kickoffs in college.

He's the highest rated current player on my list because he's been a great linebacker for the better part of a decade for the Bears. He has been a Defensive Player of the Year, and took the Bears to the Super Bowl.

3. Jim McMahon, the Punky QB

How do you put McMahon into words? He came out of BYU with a great big arm and a personality that was too big for Madison Avenue. He was the original self promoting joke-a-minute punk in professional sports.

If you ever get a chance to watch the interview he did with David Letterman around the Super Bowl in 1986, it's worth every second. This guy was a stitch.

If you ever get a chance to watch him perform on the field back in the day, you'll be more impressed by his arm and legs than you will laugh at his antics off the field. He was a really good quarterback, but that gets lost in the sunglasses and headbands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EBrJCJJr_g

2. Mike Singletary, LB

He is in the Hall of Fame as one of the great middle linebackers to ever play the game. His intensity defined the great Bears defenses of the 1980s, and his glaring eyes would have made me soil myself if I were an opposing quarterback.

1. Walter Payton, the best of all time

I don't think I need to go over the numbers for you here. Payton was, in my opinion that I know is shared by many, the best football player ever.

He ran the ball fearlessly, but also was an elite blocker, receiver, and could throw the ball well, too. If he wanted, I'm sure he probably could have been a great defensive back as well.

Even more than his on the field accomplishments, Payton was a tremendous human being. I regret not being old enough to see his entire career.