The Best Chicago Bears of All-Time Who Never Made the Pro Bowl

The Pro Bowl, for all the hate it gets these days, is still an important measuring stick in the NFL. Players who make at least one of the games are validated for having been one of the best at their position. Even if it's just for one year. The more times a player makes it, the greater the likelihood they can reach the Hall of Fame. At the same time, NFL careers can't always be measured by Pro Bowl appearances. Some of the best Chicago Bears in history can attest to that. There have been several players in the teams' history who went their entire careers being highly productive. Yet for one reason or another they never got that official recognition with a trip to Hawaii. It's a personal shame for them and an indictment on the league voting process. So who stands out the most among those names? Follow along to find out.

#5:  Jerry Fontenot

Chicago forgot former center Jerry Fontenot rather quickly after he left in 1997. Mostly that's because a year later they drafted Olin Kreutz. That said the man was a steady, reliable presence in the middle for eight seasons. He had the unenviable task of replacing the great Jay Hilgenberg in 1992. Unfortunately this is when the team went into a steep decline. However, Fontenot never missed a game in a Bears uniform. He helped them make the playoffs in 1994 and they were the ninth best offense in 1995. So there was plenty of success late in his run before departing for New Orleans.

#4:  Jim Osborne

The 1970s were probably the darkest period in Bears history. The team made the playoffs just twice in the entire decade. Not exactly the best situation to get drafted into. Yet that's what happened to defensive tackle Jim Osborne. Still he made the most of it. He would spend the next 13 years with the team as one of their most overlooked defenders. Despite the ineptitude at times the Bears did field three top 15 defenses over that span and Osborne was a big reason. He's credited with 81.5 sacks in team history, leading them four times in that category over the course of his career.

#3:  Keith Van Horne

The Chicago Bears offensive line of the 1980s was the best the organization has ever put together. Jay Hilgenberg, Jimbo Covert and Mark Bortz were all multiple time Pro Bowlers. Easily the biggest snub coming from that group was right tackle Keith Van Horne. Here's a guy who started 169 games in Chicago across 13 seasons. He was a primary driving force for their outstanding rushing attacks during the decade and was one of the men who last blocked for a Bears Pro Bowl quarterback in Jim McMahon. For him not to get at least one trip of his own is a crying shame.

#2:  Mike Hartenstine

People forget he was drafted just one round after the great Walter Payton. So in many ways the 1975 class was a huge reason for the Bears turning around. Mike Hartenstine was easily one of the most underrated defensive ends of that era. He was a versatile pass rusher who could get heat on the quarterback from either side of the line. Officially he's only credited with 24 sacks in his career, including 12 in 1983 but the tape reveals he had way more than that over the course of his career. Perhaps his greatest trait though was his unselfishness. Oftentimes he passed up opportunities for sacks in favor of executing the right play. The example he set was a catalyst for what the Bears became defensively in the mid-1980s. [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Remembering-Doug-Buffone.mp4"][/video]

#1:  Doug Buffone

Let's put it this way. Not only is it a crime that Doug Buffone never went to the Pro Bowl, he should be a name mentioned for the Hall of Fame. That's right. Buffone just happened to have the worst luck on the planet. Not only did he arrive during the bad years of the late 1960s and 1970s, he often had to live in the shadow of others. Specifically all-time great teammate Dick Butkus. That made it to where few people noticed just how great Buffone actually was. Stats are hard to come by but here are a few that stick out. Unofficially he was credited with 18 sacks during the 1968 season. Still a team record for linebackers. This doesn't include the dozens upon dozens of tackles for loss or the several forced fumbles he had. One stat that does stick out though is his 24 interceptions. That's official, and for a linebacker it's crazy good. It's fitting that the last year Buffone played for the Bears they made the playoffs. He deserved a moment in the sun after all he'd done with little recognition.