NFL's Top 100: Bears, Etc.

I guess if you have a TV, you've probably been more aware of this event than I have. The NFL has been counting down its' best players ever, and just wrapped it up with a shocking choice at No. 1 (/sarcasm): Jerry Rice.

For us Chicagoans, there is a lot to be happy about on this list, although no current Bears got a nod. Give Lance Briggs four more good years (or Urlacher, for that matter), and I think you could make a case for either one. Same thing for Olin Kreutz, but he should have retired two years ago.

Anyway, Walter Payton led the way for the men of Soldier Field (or Wrigley Field, as the case may be...), coming at No. 5, behind only Jim Brown at running back. No surprise that Gale Sayers and Bronko Nagurski also made the list, at 19 and 22, respectively. So did Red Grange (#48)

I was a little surprised to see Sid Luckman on the list - somebody's going to have to dig up some Luckman highlights at some point. I may do that in a minute. He clocked in at No. 33, just ahead of Deion Sanders. Sanders, of course, disagrees.



The last offensive player from Chi-town was Da Coach, Mike Ditka. If you've ever played with Ditka as a Madden All-Time player, you know he must have been incredible. Ditka is, according to NFL.com, the No. 59 greatest ever.

And of course, Dick Butkus (#9) and Mike Singletary (#58) also were included. Notably, Singletary came in fifteenth among fan votes - Samurai Mike is apparently better remembered these days for playing, rather than for coaching the two-win Niners.