Brian Urlacher: From simple man to Hall of Famer

When Brian Urlacher arrived at Chicago Bears headquarters hours after being selected ninth overall in the 2000 draft, he seemed a bit surprised by his surroundings.

"I didn’t realize there was this much water (around here)," Urlacher said, in reference to Lake Michigan’s proximity to the Windy City.

Perhaps geography wasn’t Urlacher’s best subject in school, but there was a hint of simplicity and naivete about him at the time that was actually refreshing. Urlacher was humble, excited and eager to learn more about the game he loved and better his own life and that of his family.

He would do just that, blossoming into a superstar who shed his small-town demeanor for one of confidence that’s usually associated with a leader, without being arrogant or pompous.

"I hate talking about myself, but just look at the way I changed the position," Urlacher told the Chicago Tribune in February. “I changed what was asked of middle linebackers … .”

Growing up in the small New Mexico town of Lovington, located a Hail Mary pass away from the Texas border, Urlacher’s versatile athleticism led him to the University of New Mexico. His dominance on the football field there landed him in the NFL with the Bears, and this weekend in Canton, Ohio, as one of the newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Urlacher was a hybrid linebacker-safety in college, but most don't realize that he didn’t immediately start his career at middle linebacker. At 6-foot-4, 258 pounds, his introduction to the NFL came on the outside and off the bench. Urlacher didn’t start his first two games as a pro, but after getting that first start – in the middle – in Week 3 of his rookie season, Urlacher found a home.

"I'm glad the fans and my teammates are starting to accept me more," a humble Urlacher said after a 10-tackle game against Tampa Bay during his rookie season. "It's important to me that my teammates like and support me."

Having reported on Urlacher during the first half of his NFL career, it was obvious from the start he was going to be special — due to his physical ability alone. He also did his best to remain humble, even as his stardom rose for the way he began dominating on the field. He was a playmaker on defense and was as valuable to the Bears as Brett Favre was to the Green Bay Packers or Randy Moss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Only legendary running back Walter Payton and dependable center Olin Kreutz started more games in a Bears uniform than Urlacher’s 180. No Bear has recorded more tackles than No. 54, and he’s the 28th player in the franchise's history to enter Canton and certainly one of the most popular – perhaps the most approachable of any of the franchise’s Hall of Famers throughout the years.

Like any star, Urlacher was noticed everywhere he went — not only in the Chicago area but nationwide. The shaved head, the barbwire tattoo. Hard to miss a guy like that. Naturally, there were times the attention and media could drain Urlacher, and he seemed more content to stay home playing the Big Buck Hunter full-size video game found in his basement.

But Urlacher always seemed grateful for the chance to play in the NFL. The football field was his own Fortress of Solitude. It was where he felt the most comfortable and at ease no matter what was going on off the field or how poorly Chicago’s offense was doing.

His dominating performance against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 16, 2006, in a game known for Dennis Green’s vein-popping "they are what we thought they were" rant, is the stuff NFL legends are made from. And the sight of Urlacher raising the George Halas trophy in the snow at Soldier Field after Chicago beat the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game that same season should be forever etched in the minds of Bears fans.

Urlacher’s appearance in Super Bowl XLI started strong with teammate Devin Hester’s opening kickoff return for a touchdown, but it ended with a loss to Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts. He never got back, though the Bears reached the NFC Championship Game during the 2010 season.

There was also his foray into commercials. Old Spice and Chunky Soup – the latter with his late mother – were two of his most memorable. Yet it was not for his stellar screen work, but because he never really seemed comfortable doing them. It brought us back to that simple, young man who was captivated by one of the Great Lakes upon his arrival in the Chicago area.

Once his playing career ended following the 2012 season, and not all that ceremoniously between him and the only franchise he called home, Urlacher decided to change. Or at least his look. He grew hair – with a little help. That might still take time for Chicago fans — or those of the NFL — to get used to.

What won’t be as hard to adjust to is his worthiness of being a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

We know what he did for the middle linebacker position — how he was able to restore the passion and tradition of the NFL's grandest franchise while becoming a sports star who just seemed relatable. In 2004, The Sporting News named Urlacher the most overrated player in the NFL.

That reportedly irked Urlacher and fueled him to prove those doubters wrong. It's safe to say he did that — and more.

It's as simple as that.