Welcome to the tenth and final installment of "The Best Chicago Bears Of All Time By Jersey Number". After 89 players and one mascot, we've come to the final ten players on this interesting list as we look at the 90s.
I must say that this has been a fun experiment. This isn't the sort of thing that we'll be doing all the time, but it was nice to do something a little different. It was also nice to go back and look at some of the great players in Chicago Bears history. I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I knew every single stat or every single fact that ended up on these pages throughout the process, so it was fun to really just gain a little more knowledge on the storied history of this great franchise. Hopefully, those of you who joined me along the way enjoyed it, but if you are just running into this, please feel free to use the links below to get caught up before heading into the last ten on the list.
#00-9 #10-19 #20-29 #30-39 #40-49 #50-59 #60-69 #70-79 #80-89
#90-Julius Peppers
Tenure: 2010-2013 I really wanted to put Alonzo Spellman in this spot, but in the end I had to go with Julius Peppers. Even though he only played four years in Chicago, he was a beast for those four years. Signed as a free agent after eight years in Carolina, he came to Chicago and made an immediate impact on the defensive side of the football. He was a First Team All-Pro in 2010, a Second Team All-Pro in 2012, and was a Pro Bowl selection his first three years in Chicago. In just four years with the team, Peppers is ranked ninth on the all-time team sack leaders list. He also won the coveted Brian Piccolo Award in 2013.2010: 16 games, 2 INT, 1 yard, 3 forced fumbles, 8 sacks, 43 tackles 2011: 16 games, 4 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 11 sacks, 33 tackles 2012: 16 games, 1 forced fumble, 4 fumble recoveries, 11.5 sacks, 32 tackles 2013: 16 games, 1 INT, 14 yards, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 TD, 7 sacks, 31 tacklesRunner-up: Alonzo Spellman
#91-Tommie Harris
Tenure: 2004-2010 Defensive tackle Tommie Harris spent seven years in Chicago and takes the #91 spot. He was second in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting following the 2004 season and was selected to the Pro Bowl the following three seasons. He was also a Second Team All-Pro in 2005 and a key member of the defense that helped lead the Bears to Super Bowl XLI.2004: 16 games, 1 forced fumble, 3.5 sacks, 28 tackles 2005: 16 games, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 3 sacks, 27 tackles 2006: 12 games, 1 fumble recovery, 5 sacks, 22 tackles 2007: 16 games, 2 forced fumbles, 8 sacks, 31 tackles 2008: 14 games, 1 fumble recovery, 5 sacks, 33 tackles 2009: 15 games, 1 INT, 6 yards, 1 fumble recovery, 2.5 sacks, 19 tackles 2010: 15 games, 2 fumble recoveries, 1.5 sacks, 9 tacklesRunner-up: John Thierry
#92-Barry Minter
Tenure: 1993-2000 Barry Minter was originally drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1993, but when Dave Wannstedt left Dallas to become the head coach in Chicago, he traded for Minter to join him on the Bears. He was used mainly in nickel packages his first few years before becoming the starting middle linebacker in 1996. He was a team leader in tackles the next few years until an injury lost him his starting job. It's really not his fault as his replacement was a guy named Brian Urlacher.1993: 2 games 1994: 13 games, 1 fumble recovery, 23 tackles 1995: 16 games, 1 INT, 2 yards, 1 TD, 1 forced fumble, 42 tackles 1996: 16 games, 1 INT, 5 yards, 1.5 sacks, 35 tackles 1997: 16 games, 1 forced fumble, 3 fumble recoveries, 6 sacks, 65 tackles 1998: 16 games, 1 INT, 17 yards, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 sack, 81 tackles 1999: 16 games, 2 INT, 66 yards, 1 TD, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 3 sacks, 96 tackles 2000: 15 games, 9 tacklesRunner-up: Hunter Hillenmeyer
#93-Trace Armstrong
Tenure: 1989-1994 This may be the number that I struggled with the most on this entire list. Everything told me to go with Adewale Ogunleye, and I'm sure a lot of you would have put him here, but after looking at every single statistic I could find, I had to give Trace Armstrong the slight edge. Honestly, I almost went with a tie here, but I didn't want to cop out and do that, so Armstrong gets the call at #93.1989: 15 games, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 5 sacks, 80 tackles 1990: 16 games, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 10 sacks, 82 tackles 1991: 12 games, 1.5 sacks, 56 tackles 1992: 14 games, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 6.5 sacks, 75 tackles 1993: 16 games, 3 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 11.5 sacks, 58 tackles 1994: 15 games, 7.5 sacks, 31 tacklesRunner-up: Adewale Ogunleye
#94-Keith Traylor
Tenure: 2001-2003 I really thought I would have more options here, but there have only been 13 guys to wear #94 for the Chicago Bears since 1950 and Keith Traylor gets the win here. Yes, he only played three seasons in Chicago, but his numbers really were just better than everyone else's.2001: 16 games, 1 INT, 67 yards, 1 forced fumble, 2 sacks, 27 tackles 2002: 15 games, 1 forced fumble, 1 sack, 25 tackles 2003: 10 games, 1 forced fumble, 12 tacklesRunner-up: Brendon Ayanbadejo
#95-Richard Dent
Tenure: 1983-1993, 1995 Do you really think it's a coincidence that this final list was released today? On the 30th anniversary of the Chicago Bears' Super Bowl XX victory, the #95 spot obviously goes to the Most Valuable Player of that game, Richard Dent. Obviously one of the easiest choices on this entire list, the 2011 Hall of Fame inductee was one of the greatest defensive players in franchise history. He was a four-time Pro Bowl selection, a four-time All-Pro, the aforementioned Super Bowl XX MVP, and is the all-time Bears sack leader.1983: 16 games, 1 forced fumble, 3 sacks, 12 tackles 1984: 16 games, 4 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 17.5 sacks, 39 tackles 1985: 16 games, 2 INT, 10 yards, 1 TD, 7 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 17 sacks, 38 tackles 1986: 15 games, 4 forced fumbles, 11.5 sacks, 75 tackles 1987: 12 games, 4 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 12.5 sacks, 34 tackles 1988: 13 games, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 10.5 sacks, 61 tackles 1989: 15 games, 1 INT, 30 yards, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 9 sacks, 70 tackles 1990: 16 games, 3 INT, 21 yards, 2 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 TD, 12 sacks, 81 tackles 1991: 16 games, 1 INT, 4 yards, 1 fumble recovery, 10.5 sacks, 84 tackles 1992: 16 games, 6 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 8.5 sacks, 82 tackles 1993: 16 games, 1 INT, 24 yards, 1 forced fumble, 12.5 sacks, 64 tackles 1995: 3 games, 1 tackleRunner-up: Anthony Adams
#96-Alex Brown
Tenure: 2002-2009 Coming in fourth place on that all-time Bears sack list is Alex Brown. Yes, I'm aware that he probably wouldn't be that high had the stat been official before 1982, but I didn't make the rules, so that is what it is. During his eight seasons in Chicago, he recorded 43.5 sacks and was yet another key player of that defensive unit that led the Bears to the Super Bowl.2002: 15 games, 1 forced fumble, 3 fumble recoveries, 2.5 sacks, 31 tackles 2003: 16 games, 1 INT, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 5.5 sacks, 48 tackles 2004: 16 games, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 6 sacks, 39 tackles 2005: 16 games, 3 forced fumbles, 6 sacks, 38 tackles 2006: 16 games, 2 INT, 22 yards, 7 sacks, 40 tackles 2007: 16 games, 1 INT, 7 yards, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 4.5 sacks, 31 tackles 2008: 16 games, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 6 sacks, 42 tackles 2009: 16 games, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 6 sacks, 36 tacklesRunner-up: Albert Fontenot
#97-Chris Zorich
Tenure: 1991-1997 After an All-American career at Notre Dame, Chris Zorich was drafted by the Bears in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft. Of his seven seasons in Chicago, his best came in 1993 when he racked up seven sacks and 121 tackles and was named an alternate to the Pro Bowl.1991: 12 games, 10 tackles 1992: 16 games, 1 fumble recovery, 1 TD, 2 sacks, 53 tackles 1993: 16 games, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, 7 sacks, 121 tackles 1994: 16 games, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 5.5 sacks, 51 tackles 1995: 16 games, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 sack, 43 tackles 1996: DNP 1997: 3 games, 2 tacklesRunner-up: Mark Anderson
#98-Bryan Robinson
Tenure: 1998-2003 Bryan Robinson was a good defensive end in the NFL, playing for five teams over 14 seasons. However, it was one emotional night that Chicago Bears fans will always remember. In the first game the Bears played following the death of Walter Payton, Robinson blocked a 28-yard field goal at Lambeau Field to preserve a 14-13 victory. After the game, Robinson had one of the best quotes of all time: "Walter Payton picked me up in the air. I can't jump that high." Awesome.1998: 11 games, 0.5 sack, 11 tackles 1999: 16 games, 5 sacks, 38 tackles 2000: 16 games, 4.5 sacks, 42 tackles 2001: 16 games, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 4.5 sacks, 37 tackles 2002: 15 games, 3 forced fumbles, 1 sack, 26 tackles 2003: 16 games, 1 sack, 23 tacklesRunner-up: Carl Simpson
#99-Dan Hampton
Tenure: 1979-1990 Thanks to Dan Hampton for making the final entry on this list so easy. In a 12-year career, all with the Chicago Bears, #99 was another of the best defensive players in franchise history. He was a six-time All-Pro (four First Team, two Second Team), a four-time Pro Bowl selection, and a member of the 1980s All-Decade Team. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.1979:16 games, 2 fumble recoveries 1980: 16 games 1981: 16 games 1982: 9 games, 9 sacks 1983: 11 games, 5 sacks 1984: 15 games, 3 fumble recoveries, 11.5 sacks 1985: 16 games, 3 fumble recoveries, 6.5 sacks 1986: 16 games, 2 fumble recoveries, 10 sacks, 1 safety 1987: 8 games, 3.5 sacks 1988: 16 games, 9.5 sacks 1989: 4 games, 2 sacks 1990: 14 gamesRunner-up: Jim Flanigan
