The Chicago Bears Hall of Fame membership in Canton is larger than any other team in the NFL to date. They have 28 enshrinees who played the majority of their careers in navy blue and orange. Brian Urlacher became the latest a few years ago. Since then there have been occasional debates about who might be the next one to get in. Most tend to agree superstar return man Devin Hester is the most likely choice given the new acceptance of special teams players and the fact he set every record.
However, recent developments may see more than one Bears player get inducted. David Baker, CEO and president of the Hall of Fame, has made a push to make the Centennial season of the NFL special in 2020. How might he do that from his own position? That's easy. Expanding the number of possible men who receive gold jackets.
Typically that number is fixed on eight. Baker told SiriusXM radio that his goal is to expand that number to 20 for the upcoming class. A move that would offer a huge opportunity to include several players, coaches, executives, or owners who have too often been passed by in the voting process.
"It is extremely elite company, and it's not the Hall of very, very good. It's the Hall of Fame, and so it should be difficult to make it. But there's a lot of guys through the years (who deserve to be honored but have not). We have several guys who are on all-decade teams who aren't in the Hall of Fame. And, so, this is an opportunity with the Centennial coming up. And what we've looked at potentially and has been approved, at least in concept, by our operating board, but we're going to have to go through the full board, is that potentially we would have 20 Hall of Famers enshrined for the year 2020."
Chicago Bears Hall of Fame snubs is significantly long
It's interesting that Baker mentioned All-Decade teams in his explanation. As it turns out, the Bears have a boatload of players from over the years who made All-Decade teams but never received their gold jacket. No fewer than nine. Hunk Anderson played for them in the mid-1920s and then coached them to a championship in 1943 during the peak of World War II.
Beattie Feathers was the first player in history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. Keep in mind that was back in 1934. Bill Osmanski was a three-time Pro Bowler who was part of all four Bears championship teams in the 1940s. Ken Kavanaugh was a three-time All-Pro flanker (receiver) who played on three of those teams. All this despite serving in World War II for two years.
One of the biggest snubs is Ed Sprinkle.
The man helped to revolutionize the pass rusher position at defensive end. He terrorized quarterbacks while reaching four Pro Bowls and winning a title in 1946. Joe Fortunato was a five-time Pro Bowl linebacker and member of the 1963 championship team. Larry Morris remains the best receiver in Bears history and was part of that group as well.
Perhaps the biggest oversight is Jimbo Covert. The big left tackle anchored the best offensive line in Bears history in the 1980s. A two-time All-Pro, he dominated equally in run blocking and pass protection. His efforts paved the way to a Super Bowl title in '85. The only reason believed that he isn't already in Canton is his career was cut short by injury. He is the only offensive member of the '80s decade team not enshrined.
This doesn't include other notable names still not in like seven-time Pro Bowl center Jay Hilgenberg or former All-Pro safety Richie Petitbon who was also an outstanding defensive coordinator for years in Washington. The list is extensive. So much that it's hard not to see at least one or two getting their names called if this practice does indeed become a reality as hoped.
