Jordan Howard Is Upholding An Unreal 50-Year Old Bears Tradition

There was no better story in 2016 for the Chicago Bears than Jordan Howard. Admittedly he didn't have a lot of competition, given the team finished 3-13. Then again he would've been the big story regardless. A young man who lost his father as a child, lost his football program at Alabama-Birmingham, and almost lost out on being drafted. Now he's just the second rookie running back in Bears history to make the Pro Bowl. He finished 2016 with 1, 313 yards rushing. Good enough for second in the entire NFL right behind Ezekiel Elliott. This marks the first time ever that two rookies managed to finish a season ranked 1-2 in rushing yards. [video width="854" height="480" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Bears-RB-Jordan-Howards-118-Yard-Performance-Bears-vs.-Colts-NFL.mp4"][/video] Yet despite all that, the accomplishments aren't quite over. There is another seldom-known piece of history that Howard has become a part of with this tremendous season. One that fans might not believe is possible. (continue to next page from top) Since the start of the Super Bowl era in 1966, the Chicago Bears have now drafted four running backs who have made at least one Pro Bowl with the franchise. While impressive in itself, what makes it so fascinating is that all four players, to a man, came from the deep south of the United States. Every single one.

• Jordan Howard:  Alabama

• Matt Forte:  Louisiana

• Neal Anderson:  Florida

• Walter Payton:  Mississippi

It goes even further than that. Out of the seven homegrown running backs who have made All-Pro or a Pro Bowl and rushed for 1, 000 yards at least once while in Chicago, six of them came from southern states. Only Gale Sayers didn't qualify and his case was a near miss, having been born in Kansas. For those who aren't history buffs, Kansas is on the northern border of the old Mason-Dixon line that separated the north and south before the Civil War. [video width="854" height="480" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/22-Gale-Sayers-The-Top-100-NFL’s-Greatest-Players-2010-NFL-Films.mp4"][/video] Missed it by that much. Regardless it's proof positive again that this Bears team, for whatever reason, has had the worst luck for the past five decades at finding quality running backs outside of southern states. Jeremy Langford? He's from Michigan. Garrett Wolfe was from Illinois. Curtis Enis hailed from Ohio. Rashaan Salaam and Brad Muster were Californians. Mighty Joe Moore, the perceived Sayers heir? Missouri. Most of the notable busts the Bears have had over that same span come eastern, northern or western states. It's hard to imagine geography has any actual impact on the success of players on this roster. Then again, here's one last little nugget to chew on. Sid Luckman and Jim McMahon, the two most successful quarterback draft picks in team history? They were born in cities that are 11 miles apart (Brooklyn, New York and Jersey City). So, yeah. No impact at all.