Dream Team Project
Chicago Bears Dream Team
The all-time Bears lineup, position by position. Every player here suited up for the Bears. Disagree with a pick? Leave a comment or nominate someone below.
How we pick
One real lineup per franchise, judged on what each player did in this uniform: impact, playoff moments and longevity with the team first, league honors second. Players are measured against their own era, and every entry is checked against the team site, the Pro Football Hall of Fame or Pro Football Reference.
The roster
Our picks, grouped by unit.
Offense
11 playersQB
Sid Luckman
First great T-formation quarterback and winner of four titles.
4× NFL champ (1940, 1941, 1943, 1946); NFL MVP 1943; 3× NFL passing yards leader
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
RB
Walter Payton
Sweetness: 13 seasons of relentless, complete running back play.
Super Bowl XX champ; NFL MVP 1977; 9× Pro Bowl; 5× 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
WR
Harlon Hill
Mid-50s deep threat who was voted the league's most valuable player.
NFL MVP 1955 (Jim Thorpe Trophy); 3× Pro Bowl; 2× 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Wikipedia
WR
Johnny Morris
Still the Bears' career receiving yards leader six decades on.
1963 NFL champ; 1964 1st-team All-Pro; Bears career receiving yards leader (5,059)
Sources: Wikipedia
WR
Ken Kavanaugh
Big-play end whose Bears touchdown-catch record still stands.
3× NFL champ (1940, 1941, 1946); 2× 1st-team All-Pro; Bears record 50 TD receptions
Sources: Wikipedia
TE
Mike Ditka
Redefined tight end as a receiving weapon from his rookie year.
1963 NFL champ; 5× Pro Bowl; 2× 1st-team All-Pro; 1961 Rookie of the Year
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
LT
Jimbo Covert
Hall of Fame left tackle of the dominant mid-80s running game.
Super Bowl XX champ; 2× Pro Bowl; 2× 1st-team All-Pro; NFL 1980s All-Decade
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
LG
Danny Fortmann
Hall of Fame guard honoured as All-NFL in all eight seasons.
3× NFL champ (1940, 1941, 1943); 6× 1st-team All-Pro; NFL 1930s All-Decade
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
C
Bulldog Turner
Two-way Hall of Famer at the heart of four title teams.
4× NFL champ; 7× 1st-team All-Pro; NFL 1940s All-Decade
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
RG
George Musso
Nine-year captain of the original Monsters of the Midway.
4× NFL champ (1933, 1940, 1941, 1943); All-NFL at tackle (1935) and guard (1937)
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
RT
Keith Van Horne
Thirteen-year starter and right tackle of the 1985 champions.
Super Bowl XX champ; 169 starts for the Bears
Sources: Wikipedia (player page and Super Bowl XX lineup)
Defense
11 playersDT
Dan Hampton
Danimal earned All-Pro honours at both tackle and end.
Super Bowl XX champ; 4× Pro Bowl; 1984 1st-team All-Pro; NFL 1980s All-Decade
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
DT
Steve McMichael
Mongo was the durable interior engine of the 46 defense.
Super Bowl XX champ; 2× Pro Bowl; 2× 1st-team All-Pro (1985, 1987)
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
DE
Richard Dent
Super Bowl XX MVP and the premier pass rusher of the 85 Bears.
Super Bowl XX champ and MVP; 4× Pro Bowl; 1985 1st-team All-Pro; NFL sacks leader 1985
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
EDGE
Doug Atkins
Towering Hall of Fame end who terrorised passers for 12 seasons.
1963 NFL champ; 8× Pro Bowl; 1963 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
LB
Dick Butkus
The standard by which every middle linebacker is measured.
8× Pro Bowl; 5× 1st-team All-Pro; NFL 1960s/1970s All-Decade
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
LB
Mike Singletary
Samurai Mike quarterbacked the best defense of its era.
Super Bowl XX champ; 2× Defensive Player of the Year; 10× Pro Bowl; 7× 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
LB
Brian Urlacher
Rangy modern middle linebacker who carried on the Bears tradition.
2005 Defensive Player of the Year; 8× Pro Bowl; 4× 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
CB
Charles Tillman
Master of the Peanut Punch with the most picks by a Bears corner.
2× Pro Bowl; 2012 1st-team All-Pro; Bears record 9 defensive TDs
Sources: Wikipedia
CB
Jaylon Johnson
Top cover corner of the current era with back-to-back Pro Bowls.
2× Pro Bowl (2023, 2024); 2023 2nd-team All-Pro
Sources: Wikipedia
S
Gary Fencik
Hard-hitting Yale man who leads the Bears in career interceptions.
Super Bowl XX champ; 2× Pro Bowl; 1981 1st-team All-Pro; Bears career interceptions leader
Sources: Wikipedia
S
Richie Petitbon
Rangy safety of the 1963 championship defense.
1963 NFL champ; 4× Pro Bowl; 1963 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Wikipedia
Special Teams / Coaching
4 playersK
Robbie Gould
Undrafted find who became the franchise's all-time leading scorer.
2006 1st-team All-Pro; 2006 Pro Bowl; Bears all-time leading scorer
Sources: Wikipedia
P
Bobby Joe Green
Twelve seasons as the Bears punter, including the 1963 title.
1963 NFL champ; 1970 Pro Bowl
Sources: Wikipedia
RET
Devin Hester
The greatest return man the NFL has seen.
3× 1st-team All-Pro with CHI; 3× Pro Bowl with CHI; NFL record for return TDs
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
COACH
George Halas
Papa Bear founded the franchise and coached it for 40 seasons.
6 NFL titles as head coach; AP Coach of the Year 1963 & 1965
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
Add a comment or suggest a player
Keep it respectful. Suggestions need a player name + position (reason optional, but helpful).
Fan picks
Suggestions from the community. We’ll review and move worthy picks into the curated roster.
No fan suggestions yet. Be the first to nominate a player.
Discussion
General feedback on the roster.
No comments yet. Share what you think about this lineup.