The Greatest Unheralded Chicago Bear Was Actually a "Cat"

James "Big Cat" Williams was a model of what a Chicago Bear should be—6'7" and 330 lbs., of course—just kidding (kind of).  He was a model because of the way he carried himself and the way he represented the team; his team.

Signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 1991, Big Cat spent most of his time in the first two seasons not playing.  He was a defensive tackle at Cheyney University in Pennsylvania and was put in the Bears defensive line rotation for his first two years, but found few minutes.

However, Coach Ditka saw something he liked and moved Big Cat to offensive tackle in 1993.  Big Cat learned this new position quickly and solidified the right tackle position, starting a total of 143 games from 1994 through 2002.  He was also selected to the Pro Bowl in 2001.

And he wasn't just a good offensive tackle—he also excelled on special teams, especially the field goal unit, where he blocked a total of eight kicks in his career.

Big Cat wasn't just a fine football player, but also a great leader and a great person.  He won the Brian Piccolo Award in 2001.

The Brian Piccolo Award goes to one rookie and one veteran on the Chicago Bears who "best exemplifies the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor."

Every year, the veterans of the Bears vote on who wins this award and it is considered an honor to receive it.

But the reason I feel he is unheralded isn't just because he came from nowhere or that he was a cornerstone of the offensive line for years without the proper recognition. 

It was the fact he stuck it out through all the bad times.  When he joined the Bears in 1991, they finished the season with an 11-5 record.  In the following 11 years, their season records were such:

• 11-5, 7-9, 9-7, 9-7, 7-9, 4-12, 4-12, 6-10, 5-11, 13-3, 4-12

The Bears made the playoffs in 1994 with that 9-7 record and then did not return to the playoffs until their magical run of 13-3 in 2001.  Big Cat was the only player who was still there from that 1994 team.  He stuck it through.

You never heard him complain.  You never heard of a contract dispute.  You never saw him put down a teammate.  And you never saw him in the news for anything, much less for a crime.

I have a Devin Hester jersey.  I have a Mike Brown jersey.  I also have an "A-Train" jersey.

But my favorite jersey—the one I wear every Sunday during football season—is my navy blue No 71.