Chicago Bears: Top 12 Players Who Have Been Overlooked for the Hall of Fame

The Chicago Bears have a long and storied history of great players and currently have the most players inducted in the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

But that doesn't mean that there aren't players who have been overlooked and are deserving of enshrinement.

Look, I know the Bears hold the NFL record for the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with 26 members, and the most retired jersey numbers (13). But that doesn't mean that this list of players aren't worthy.

The Bears have recorded more regular season and overall victories than any other NFL franchise, so it is not surprising that the team has so many great players.  

Meanwhile, let's take a look at the candidacy of 12 great Bears players and make a case as to why each of them should be elected to football's most holy shrine.

12. Doug Plank

Call him a dirty player, if you must, but there wasn't a player who epitomized the "Black and Blue" division as much as Doug Plank did.

You may not know his name, but you know his number (46). Buddy Ryan never called players by their names, but he liked Plank so much he designed a defense around him. 

Due to Plank being so adept at causing general havoc wherever he was, Ryan concocted a scheme that mirrored Plank's animal tendencies, culminating in what looked like a defensive jailbreak for the quarterback.

Tackling was not kept as an official stat when he played, but if it was, he would be an easy choice for the Hall, despite a lack of interceptions.

11. Kevin Butler

"Butthead" was the leading scorer in the NFL during the Bears' run as the top team and though kickers and punters don't often make it to the Hall, this is a guy who may be worthy.

In his 11 seasons with the Bears, Butler became the team's all-time leading scorer with 1,116 points.

Butler holds the record for the most points scored by a player during their rookie season. In 1985, he scored 144 points for the Chicago Bears.

That year, he made 31 field goals and all of his 51 extra-point attempts.

10. Mike Brown

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CHICAGO - DECEMBER 07: Mike Brown #30 of the Chicago Bears awaits the start of a play against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 7, 2008 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Jaguars 23-10. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Safety Mike Brown was perhaps the smartest defensive player the Bears ever had and if he hadn't been injured so often, would have been one of the greats of all-time.

He led the Bears in tackles on the team and returns for a touchdown when he was healthy and he received accolades from Pro Football Weekly, Football News and Football Digest, and he finished second to  teammate Brian Urlacher for defensive player of the year.

9. Johnny Morris

Bears wide receivers do not normally get much respect because the team has never had good quarterbacks over the years.

Morris was a key player in the 1963 Championship and had his best season in 1964 with 93 receptions for 1,212 yards and 10 touchdowns.

If Morris had a good QB throwing to him, he would already be enshrined.

Morris was also a sportscaster for WMAQ-TV AND WBBM-TV in Chicago and a football color commentator with CBS Sports. His post-game interviews with fiery Mike Ditka are legendary.

8. Gary Fencik

They call him "Hit Man, don't know what they mean"...this Bears safety was the heart of the Bears' 46 defense, and he was as consistent as any player could be. 

Fencik played 12 seasons with the Chicago Bears and is their all-time leader in interceptions and total tackles. He was the team's defensive captain through the 1980s including 1985 Super Bowl championship season.

Fencik finished his career with 38 interceptions, which he returned for 488 yards and a touchdown.

He also recorded 2 sacks and recovered 14 fumbles, returning them for 65 yards.

7. Joe Fortunato

Fortunato was named to the Pro Bowl five times and NFL All-Pro three times. He played outside linebacker for the Bears from 1955-1966 until he was supplanted in the lineup by Doug Buffone.

Fortunato was a member of one of the greatest linebacking groups in NFL history when he teamed with Larry Morris and Bill George, who played together in the 1963 NFL Championship season.

Fortunato was named as one of the 300 best NFL players of all time. He also served as an assistant coach on Jim Dooley's staff in 1967 and 1968.

6. Doug Buffone

Buffone played 15 seasons at linebacker for the Bears, retiring in 1980 as the all-time leader in games played for the legendary organization.

In his professional career, Buffone gathered more than 1,200 tackles, going over the 100-tackle mark in seven seasons.

He also had the honor of serving as defensive captain for eight seasons, beginning in 1972. Buffone retired with 24 career interceptions to lead all Bear linebackers and most sacks in a season (18 in 1968).

5. Ed O’Bradovich

O'Bradovich was one of those rare athletes that grew up in, went to college in, and enjoyed a long career in the same state. "OB" as he was known throughout his career grew up in Hillside, Ill., attended the University of Illinois, and played his entire career for the Bears.

Perhaps the singular memory of O'Bradovich was when he intercepted a short pass in the 1963 NFL Championship game and rumbled down the field on a key play to help the Bears to victory.

Following his retirement, O'Bradovich has closely followed the Bears, giving both Dan Hampton and Mike Ditka's induction speech to the NFL Hall of Fame.

4. Jay Hilgenberg

Hilgenberg earned his first Pro Bowl berth in 1985 and would play the position in that game for the NFC for seven straight seasons.

He is a seven-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection. Shouldn't the best player at a position over a period of time be an automatic Hall of Famer?

3. Steve McMichael

"Mongo" led the Bears with 11 1/2 sacks in 1988. He had 108 tackles in 1989. McMichael was named to the NFC's Pro Bowl teams for the 1986 and 1987 seasons.

Along with Dan Hampton, he was the main reason that players like Mike Singletary and Richard Dent were able to achieve the heights they did, as his inside presence and toughness were legendary.

2. Jimbo Covert

Covert’s addition to the Bears starting lineup began a string of record-setting rushing titles. The Chicago Bears led the league in rushing a record-setting four consecutive seasons, from 1983–1986, which tied the all-time mark, set by the 1939-42 Chicago Bears.

The Bears finished second in rushing twice, 1989 and 1990, and third once, 1988, during Covert’s career.

During Covert’s career, he was named to an All-Pro team four straight years (1984–1987), a first- or second-team All-NFC selection four times (1985–1987, 1990), and a first- or second-team All-NFL selection three times.

Covert was a consensus All-NFL and All-Pro pick in 1985 and 1986. He was selected to two Pro Bowls in 1985 and 1986. In 1986, he was selected as the Miller Lite NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year.

In 1990, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors selected Covert to the NFL All-Decade Team. With Covert on the team, the Bears won six NFL Central Division titles and played in three NFC Championship games, along with the Super Bowl win.

He and safety Kenny Easley are the only two First Team 1980s All-Decade members not in the Hall of Fame.

How can an offensive tackle be named in the same breath as none other than Anthony Munoz (the other First Team 1980s All-Decade tackle), be considered as the best at his position for an entire decade, and not be a member of the Hall of Fame?

1. Richard Dent

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CHICAGO - OCTOBER 8: Defensive end Richard Dent #95 of the Chicago Bears tries to get around offensive tackle Blake Brockermeyer of the Carolina Panthers during a game at Soldier Field on October 8, 1995 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears won 31-27. (Photo

Dent was Super Bowl XX MVP.  His lifetime statistics include 137.5 sacks and 8 interceptions; he returned these picks for 89 yards and one touchdown. He also recovered 13 fumbles, returning them for 56 yards and one touchdown. 1

At the time of his retirement, his 137.5 sacks ranked him third in NFL history behind Reggie White and Bruce Smith.

Dent has been nominated several times for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but to this day he has not been enshrined.