Last night was a great for the Chicago Bears franchise as 3 more players who played for this legendary franchise are going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Devin Hester is the greatest returner ever will be going into the Pro Football along with 85 Bears defensive tackle Steve McMichael and pass rusher Julius Peppers. Yes Julius Peppers spent most of his career with the Carolina Panthers but he had 4 productive seasons with the Chicago Bears. I am so glad Steve “Mongo” McMichael is still alive to see his moment of glory as he is currently battling ALS which is known Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Devin Hester changed the game on special teams as he made a huge impact on both kick and punt returns.
Devin Hester was drafted by the Bears in 2006 as the Bears needed a better returner. In his first ever game in the NFL he returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown as the Bears won 26-0 against the Packers at Lambeau Field. Hester set an NFL rookie record with 5 kick returns for a touchdown. One of my favorites from his rookie year in 2006 where the Bears made a late comeback at the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football where he returned a punt 84 yards as the Bears won a 24-23 thriller. My other favorite Hester return from his rookie season was in November as the Bears played at the NY Giants on Sunday Night Football where he caught a missed field goal in the end zone, waited a couple of seconds to see what develops where then he sprinted for a then 108 yard record for a touchdown. My favorite Hester game from his rookie year happened in December of 2006 at the St. Louis Rams on Monday Night Football where he returned 2 kickoffs for over 90 yards both for touchdowns as this guy was so special. I remember Bears radio play by play guy Jeff Joniak saying “Devin Hester you are ridiculous,” Joniak also called Hester “The Windy City Flyer.” Hester finished his rookie season with 6 returns for touchdowns, 3 punts 2 kickoffs and 1 missed goal. Hester capped off his rookie season where the Chicago Bears were playing in Super Bowl 41 in Miami against the Indianapolis Colts. On the game’s biggest stage Hester returned the opened kickoff in the Super Bowl for a touchdown 92 yards. Yes the Bears lost the Super Bowl to the Colts but Hester made history. For an encore the following season Hester returned 4 punts and 2 kickoffs for touchdowns. I remember in 2007 against the Denver Broncos at Soldier Field Hester returned both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the same game. Devin Hester played with other teams after his Bears career but he was still electrifying. Hester finished his career with the most combined special team return touchdowns 20 total, (14 punts, 5 kickoffs and 1 missed goal). Devin Hester was one of a kind who becomes the first true return specialist to be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Another member of the 85 Bears is going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as Steve McMichael joins Walter Payton, Jim Covert, Dan Hampton, Richard Dent and Mike Singletary. We all know how scary the 85 Bears defense was as defensive tackle Steve McMichael was a huge part of that unit. Steve McMichael began his career with the New England Patriots and then was cut before his second season in 1981 where then the Bears signed him. McMichael’s 92.5 sacks are second in team history behind Hall of Famer Richard Dent. McMichael’s 95 career sacks are fourth most for a defensive tackle. Steve appeared in a record 191 consecutive games. Hopefully Mongo makes it to August where he gets his Gold Jacket and Bronze Bust at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton Ohio where I mentioned above that Steve McMichael is currently battling ALS which is known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Yes I know Julius Peppers played most of his career with the Carolina Panthers but he had 4 productive seasons with the Chicago Bears from 2010-2013. In 2011 and 2012 Peppers recorded back to back seasons with 11 sacks. Julius Peppers is the only player in NFL History to have at least 100 career sacks and 10 interceptions. Julius Peppers was the one of the biggest free agent signings in franchise history for the Bears. I wasn’t happy he played for the rival Green Bay Packers after playing with the Bears but glad he returned to Carolina where he finished his Hall of Fame career. Don’t be surprised if the Bears play in the Hall of Fame Game this August.