Welcome back to "The Best Chicago Bears Of All Time By Jersey Number" series. We're in the homestretch now with just two sections to go and we continue today with numbers 80 through 89. We've got some more great players in here, including one of the most popular names in franchise history and the very last uniform number retired by the Chicago Bears.
If you're joining this series in progress, please feel free to use the links below to get caught up with the first 80 names on this list. Enjoy.
#00-9 #10-19 #20-29 #30-39 #40-49 #50-59 #60-69 #70-79
#80-Curtis Conway
Tenure: 1993-1999 For a few years there, Curtis Conway was a great wide receiver in the National Football League. He is the first Bears receiver to ever record back-to-back 1000-yard seasons, doing so in 1995 and 1996. Conway ranks fifth on the all-time Bears receiving yards list with 4, 498 yards and is tied for fourth in receptions with 329.1993: 16 games, 19 receptions, 231 yards, 2 TD 1994: 13 games, 39 receptions, 546 yards, 2 TD 1995: 16 games, 62 receptions, 1037 yards, 12 TD 1996: 16 games, 81 receptions, 1049 yards, 7 TD 1997: 7 games, 30 receptions, 476 yards, 1 TD 1998: 15 games, 54 receptions, 733 yards, 3 TD 1999: 9 games, 44 receptions, 426 yards, 4 TDRunner-up: Bernard Berrian
#81-Doug Atkins
Tenure: 1955-1966 After playing his first two years in Cleveland, defensive end Doug Atkins played the bulk of his career with the Chicago Bears. He was the leader of the defensive unit that helped the Bears win the 1963 NFL Championship. During his time in Chicago, he went to the Pro Bowl eight times and was a First Team All-Pro four times. He is a member of the 1960s All-Decade Team, the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.1955: 12 games 1956: 6 games 1957: 12 games, 1 fumble recovery 1958: 12 games, 2 fumble recoveries 1959: 12 games 1960: 12 games, 1 fumble recovery 1961: 14 games, 2 fumble recoveries 1962: 14 games, 2 fumble recoveries 1963: 14 games, 1 INT, 1 safety 1964: 12 games 1965: 14 games, 1 INT 1966: 12 games, 1 INT, 3 yardsRunner-up: Jeff Graham
#82-Alan Page
Tenure: 1978-1981 Although he played the majority of his career with the Minnesota Vikings, Hall of Fame defensive tackle Alan Page still takes the #82 spot on this list. He played the better part of four seasons in Chicago and was still getting all-conference honors in the later stages of his career.1978: 10 games 1979: 16 games, 1 fumble recovery 1980: 16 games, 2 fumble recoveries 1981: 16 games, 1 fumble recoveryRunner-up: Wendell Davis
#83-Willie Gault
Tenure: 1983-1987 "It's Speedy Willie" and he comes in easily at the #83 slot. Maybe not easily, but he still gets the nod here over Martellus Bennett. He's got the Super Bowl XX championship to fall back on, but he really was a decent receiver. He wasn't the best route runner, but his speed could make up for it when necessary. He had a lot of big games throughout his tenure in Chicago, was an excellent punt and kick returner, and was one of the organizers and singers on "The Super Bowl Shuffle", which on its own should be enough.1983: 13 games, 40 receptions, 836 yards, 8 TD---9 punt returns, 60 yards---13 kick returns, 276 yards 1984: 15 games, 34 receptions, 587 yards, 6 TD---1 kick return, 12 yards 1985: 16 games, 33 receptions, 704 yards, 1 TD---22 kick returns, 577 yards, 1 TD 1986: 16 games, 42 receptions, 818 yards, 5 TD---1 kick return, 20 yards 1987: 12 games, 35 receptions, 705 yards, 7 TDRunner-up: Martellus Bennett
#84-Brian Baschnagel
Tenure: 1977-1984 (wore #47 in 1976) Drafted in the third round of the 1977 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, wide receiver Brian Baschnagel played eight seasons for the Bears in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Unfortunately, a knee injury sidelined him in 1985 and he spent that entire Super Bowl-winning season on injured reserve. He did, however, help the coaching staff from the booth the entire year and did receive a Super Bowl ring for his efforts in that regard.1977: 10 games, 4 receptions, 50 yards---3 punt returns, 54 yards---23 kick returns, 557 yards, 1 TD 1978: 16 games, 2 receptions, 29 yards---1 punt return, 2 yards---20 kick returns, 455 yards 1979: 16 games, 30 receptions, 452 yards, 2 TD---12 kick returns, 260 yards 1980: 16 games, 28 receptions, 396 yards, 2 TD 1981: 16 games, 34 receptions, 554 yards, 3 TD---2 kick returns, 34 yards 1982: 9 games, 12 receptions, 194 yards 1983: 16 games, 5 receptions, 70 yards---3 kick returns, 42 yards 1984: 16 games, 6 receptions, 53 yardsRunner-up: Ron Morris
#85-Dennis McKinnon
Tenure: 1983-1989 As arguably one of the most successful undrafted free agents in Chicago Bears history, Dennis McKinnon was an extremely versatile offensive option. He was a wide receiver, kick returner, and one of the best punt returners in franchise history. He's third on the all-time team list in punt return yards behind only Devin Hester and George McAfee and tied for second in punt return touchdowns. He also scored seven touchdowns during the 1985 championship season.1983: 16 games, 20 receptions, 326 yards, 4 TD---34 punt returns, 316 yards, 1 TD---2 kick returns, 42 yards 1984: 12 games, 29 receptions, 431 yards, 3 TD---5 punt returns, 62 yards 1985: 14 games, 31 receptions, 555 yards, 7 TD---4 punt returns, 44 yards---1 kick return, 16 yards 1986: DNP 1987: 12 games, 27 receptions, 406 yards, 1 TD---40 punt returns, 405 yards, 2 TD 1988: 15 games, 45 receptions, 704 yards, 3 TD---34 punt returns, 277 yards 1989: 16 games, 28 receptions, 418 yards, 3 TD---10 punt returns, 67 yardsRunner-up: Willie Holman
#86-Marty Booker
Tenure: 1999-2003, 2008 Marty Booker, who had two stints with the franchise, is one of the most productive wide receivers in Chicago Bears history. He ranks in the top ten in receiving yards (3, 895), receptions (329) and receiving touchdowns (25). He made the Pro Bowl and was selected as an All-Pro in 2002, and is one of only two Bears wide receivers to have a season with 100 catches.1999: 9 games, 19 receptions, 219 yards, 3 TD 2000: 15 games, 47 receptions, 490 yards, 2 TD 2001: 16 games, 100 receptions, 1071 yards, 8 TD 2002: 16 games, 97 receptions, 1189 yards, 6 TD 2003: 13 games, 52 receptions, 715 yards, 4 TD 2008: 13 games, 14 receptions, 211 yards, 2 TDRunner-up: Bob Parsons
#87-Ed O'Bradovich
Tenure: 1962-1971 Defensive end Ed O'Bradovich played his entire ten-year career in Chicago after being drafted in the seventh round out of the University of Illinois. He was a key player on the defensive unit that helped win the 1963 NFL Championship, including a big interception in the title game.1962: 14 games, 5 fumble recoveries 1963: 6 games, 2 fumble recoveries 1964: 7 games 1965: 13 games 1966: 14 games, 3 fumble recoveries 1967: 14 games 1968: 14 games, 1 fumble recovery 1969: 14 games, 1 fumble recovery 1970: 14 games 1971: 14 games, 1 fumble recoveryRunner-up: Emery Moorehead
#88-Bobby Joe Green
Tenure: 1962-1973 There were a couple of wide receivers, namely Marcus Robinson and Desmond Clark, that were very close to being put here in the #88 slot, but after one of my longer reviews, I decided to finally go with a punter. He's one of the best punters in franchise history, and his overall value to the team as opposed to the wide receivers gave him the nod here.1962: 14 games, 69 punts, 3018 yards 1963: 14 games, 64 punts, 2974 yards 1964: 14 games, 71 punts, 3161 yards 1965: 14 games, 58 punts, 2479 yards 1966: 14 games, 80 punts, 3358 yards 1967: 14 games, 79 yards, 3392 yards 1968: 7 games, 27 punts, 1142 yards 1969: 14 games, 76 punts, 2964 yards 1970: 14 games, 83 punts, 3395 yards 1971: 14 games, 77 punts, 3095 yards 1972: 14 games, 67 punts, 2758 yards 1973: 14 games, 82 punts, 3321 yardsRunner-up: Desmond Clark
#89-Mike Ditka
Tenure: 1961-1966 Ditka's number 89 was the most recent and the team says the last number that will be retired. While it's easy to remember him as "Da Coach" and the man to lead the Bears to the Super Bowl XX win, it's sometimes easy to forget how great of a player Mike Ditka was. In his six seasons as a Bears player, he was a five-time Pro Bowl selection, a five-time All-Pro, and won a championship in 1963. He's the first tight end to ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame and is a member of the 50th and 75th Anniversary All-Time Teams.1961: 14 games, 56 receptions, 1076 yards, 12 TD 1962: 14 games, 58 receptions, 904 yards, 5 TD 1963: 14 games, 59 receptions, 794 yards, 8 TD 1964: 14 games, 75 receptions, 897 yards, 5 TD 1965: 14 games, 36 receptions, 454 yards, 2 TD 1966: 14 games, 32 receptions, 378 yards, 2 TDRunner-up: James Scott 90 down and 10 to go. Come back tomorrow for the 10th and final entry in "The Best Chicago Bears Of All Time By Jersey Number" series as I take a look at the best of the 90s.
