Brian Urlacher: Why the Chicago Bears Phenom Still Has Plenty Left in the Tank

Brian Urlacher turned 33 in May, but the prototype for future linebackers isn't close to done.

Over the past few years we've seen his Hall of Fame credentials discussed, as well as his impact on the game.  

While his career is certainly a highlight reel in the making, the veteran linebacker is still going strong, posting one of his best overall seasons in 2010 after missing all but half of a game in 2009 with a potential career ending wrist injury.

But at 33, will he still have what it takes to contribute to the Bears dominant defense?  Follow me, and we'll delve into why Urlacher may still have some of his best years left ahead of him. 

Physical Training

The first key to longevity in any sport is physical training, and Urlacher's off-season training schedule is among the best in the league.

One of his programs he uses for endurance in a high-altitude training regiment.  This system uses intense workout at high altitude to produce hypoxia (oxygen deprivation to the muscle tissues) which causes increased red blood cell production.  The result is better oxygen transportation at normal altitudes for increased stamina on game day.  Ever wonder why No. 54 looks so much fresher than most late in the game and why he seems to recover so quickly?  This regiment is why. 

His lifting program is specifically designed for him based on game film and his own body to increase aerobic endurance in addition to muscle endurance and strength.  

His overall program has him in shape to record 4.49 40's, a 38 in vertical and power cleaning 400 lbs.

His diet is also carefully monitored at around 5800 calories a day to maintain lean muscle while training at high altitude.

All of this ensures that on game day, Urlacher is fast, strong and recovers quickly.  And it's a big reason why he posted one of his best seasons at 32 years old. 

Cerebral Gameplay

Urlacher is such a huge physical specimen that people often forget that his biggest weapon is his football IQ.

He is a cerebral player who's greatest value is his ability to read and diagnose plays and to move his team around to counter what he is seeing.

And that ability only gets better with age and experience.  Urlacher has sideline-to-sideline speed and great power, but all of that is useless if he isn't in the right place at the right time.  

That mental skill is the most underrated aspect of his game and one of the biggest reasons for his high productivity through his 11 seasons in the NFL.

Competitive Nature

Whether it's on the field or off, Urlacher's competitive juices can be seen flowing on a regular basis.

From arguing his case with refs, jawing with offensive counterparts or speaking to the media, Brian's desire to win is always front and center.

That competitive drive is part of what keeps this phenom going.

The desire for a championship is a driving force behind Urlacher's success.  Often in the NFL, when a player declines or is unsuccessful, his desire to play or to win is questioned.  The concept of complacency is often quoted as a source for failure or decline.

Nobody can accuse Urlacher of complacency, and the desire to be the best will push him to continue his dominant ways for plenty of time to come.

Leadership

There is no doubt who the undisputed leader of the Bears defense is.  Urlacher is indispensable to this team in terms of leadership.

Doubt it?

After two injury plagued year in 2007 and 2008 in which questions started to unfairly arise about whether Urlacher was starting to fall off, Brian missed all but one half of a game in 2009 with a career threatening wrist injury.

The Bears responded by showing the world exactly how important Brian was to this defense.  The Bears allowed 375 points, the sixth highest total in their 91 season history and the 4th highest total since the 1978 implementation of the 16 game season.

The Bears defense looked lost without their field general to command the troops and the Bears struggled to replace him, trying three different linebackers at the spot.  But none could produce the level of leadership and the defense fell into chaos.

He returned in 2010, along with the return of Chris Harris and the addition of Julius Peppers, and the defense dominated once more.

This is another reason why Urlacher will continue to be an important part of this team.  His leadership skills don't decline with age.

A Year to Recuperate

As previously mentioned, Urlacher suffered a season ending wrist injury in Week 1 of 2009 against the Green Bay Packers.  While this was devastating to the Bears season, it might have been one the best things to happen to Urlacher.

I know, a season ending injury isn't a good thing.  But the year to recuperate from not only the wrist injury, but from the nagging injuries that had slowed him for two years was a blessing in disguise.

A year off is a rare thing for a professional athlete, and you will hear them talk all the time about how, especially in football, they are never 100 percent because of injury.

After almost a year layoff, Brian returned in 2010 completely healthy for the first time since 2006.  He responded with one of his best seasons ever, and not just statistically.  He also earned his first ever Defensive Player of the Month Award for his play in December/January and his seventh Pro Bowl nomination—his first since 2006.

The wrist injury gave Urlacher the time to truly heal that he—and most players—usually never see and allowed him to enter the 2010 season fresh and healthy for the first time in years.  That healing time likely extended his career, as he isn't slowly making nagging conditions worse by trying to play through them.

It is rare that a player misses a season with an injury that doesn't have some sort of lasting effect on their playing ability.  The nature of Urlacher's injury allowed him to become healthy again while not permanently affecting his play and may have extended his career in doing so. 

Skills

The single biggest reason that the Bears' future Hall-of-Famer will still be a factor for years are his skills.

Yes, Urlacher turned 33 in May.  But there have been no noticeable decline in his skills and abilities.  In fact, after a year off, he seems to have come back better than ever.

Take the above video into account.  Take notice of Urlacher's play.  His hip movement is fantastic.  He reads and reacts to the leagues best quarterback—sorry NFL Network, you had it wrong.  Rodgers was the best player in the game last year—and beats him.  His speed after the catch was great, as was his balance in recovering from a bad landing after the catch.  Had Aaron Rodgers not taken such a great angle, Urlacher was gone for six points.

This wasn't an isolated play, it was standard for what Urlacher showed throughout the season.

Urlacher still has the sideline-to-sideline speed and the coverage skills that made him "The Prototype" in an ever more pass-happy league.  And he's still fantastic against the run.

Most telling is that defensive coordinators still game plan for Brian Urlacher and his amazing skill set. 

Conclusion

Urlacher still has a ton of gas left in the tank.  

Despite what Dhani Jones thinks—Hey, Dhani!  The guy who you famously think can't get off a block beat you in just about every statistical category there is: sacks, INTs, fumble recoveries, solo tackles, passes defended—Urlacher has the skills to do it all.  

Last season he added four sacks, an interception, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, 125 tackles and ten passes defended to his already impressive totals.

Warren Sapp's response to Dhani Jones snub of Urlacher on his  top 10?  He sprayed Febreze on the list and informed Mr Jones that "Now you list doesn't stink."

Sapp knows who Urlacher is, and being one of the greatest defensive players of his era, Sapp knows a thing or two about what it takes to be great defensively.

Sapp still thinks Urlacher is a top 10 linebacker coming into his 12th season.  Who's going to argue with Warren Sapp?