My All-Time Historical Bears Team: Gooch’s Chicago Monsters
CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 18: Brian Urlacher #54 of the Chicago Bears awaits the start of play against the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field on December18, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Seahawks defeated the Bears 38-14. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesThis is my first year participating in the All-Bears Historical Fantasy Draft, and I knew I was up against stiff competition. My fellow competitors had great strategies and approaches that balanced player production and positional value in their drafts. I saw many a coveted player go just before my opportunity to take them. But ultimately, I believe I drafted the best historical fantasy team this year, and in this article, I'll go over my overall strategic approach to the draft, the amazing players I added to my team, and why you should vote for me when the tournament runs.
- By now, you all know the basic rules to our All-Bears Historical Fantasy Draft. We each picked a team consisting of 25 players. We got 11 picks on offense, 11 picks on defense, and three picks on special teams.
- The special teams picks were assigned to one kicker, one punter, and one miscellaneous contributor (returner, coverage defender, long snapper).
- The offensive picks require a full offensive line, a quarterback, a running back, two wide receivers, and a tight end. The 11th pick on offense could go to any skill position of the team's choosing.
- Given the Bears' historical preference for a 4-3 base defense over a 3-4, we required two defensive ends, two defensive tackles, two linebackers, two cornerbacks, and two safeties. The 11th pick could be used at any position of the team's choosing, whether it be a nickel defender, a third linebacker, or an extra defensive lineman.
- Each player's skill level will be transported to the modern age. For example, a Hall of Fame offensive lineman from the 1940s, while smaller than the modern o-lineman, will still be a Hall of Famer.
- We also only get the player's ability as it was when he played in Chicago. So if someone were to tout the Hall of Fame credentials of Alan Page, keep in mind that his time in Chicago (0 Pro Bowls) wasn't the same as his time in Minnesota (9 Pro Bowls).
So, I knew going in that there was going to be no hiding Chicago Bears greats from the other seven WCG drafters. The Bears knowledge runs wide and deep with this group, so I had to strike early with players I wanted at the key positions for building my team. I was slotted in the middle of the draft - which is generally where I like to be in fantasy drafts (easier to avoid positional runs from the middle), so I felt like that gave me a bit of an edge. There were two draft position factors I took into account: 1) positional value (quarterbacks matter more than kickers) and 2) positional scarcity (the Chicago Bears have fewer greats at certain positions on the field, like quarterback and wide receiver, than they do at others, like linebacker and defensive lineman). So with that in mind, I approached the draft focused on filling key positional positions and favoring positions early in the draft where the Bears have traditionally had fewer great players than at other positions on the field. If, however, those scare resources were expended by other drafters before I could strike, I was determined not to overdraft lesser players at those positions in the draft. Rather, I was content to wait for later rounds when the Bears' value at those positions would match the round in which they were drafted.
Gooch's Chicago Monsters Offense:QB - Jim McMahon (Round 2): I don't have to tell you the desert of great players at the quarterback position in Chicago history. Here the two prongs of my draft strategy converged on one player. With Caleb, Sid, and Jay Cutler already off the board in the first round, there was one great player at the position left, and I did the proverbial run the pick in" to make my choice. Jim McMahon's legend is cemented as the quarterback who led the Bears in the 1985 Super Bowl run, but I think that fact sometimes overshadows just how good of a quarterback he was. While McMahon falls short of a Hall of Fame pedigree (and to be clear - the Bears only have one of those at the QB position and he was well off the board), he is, in my opinion, the best leader we have ever had at the QB position. His grit and determination rubbed off on his teammates. But his production wasn't bad either - he was NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1982, and he earned a Pro Bowl spot in the 1985 season. Over his Bears career, from 1982-1988, he threw for 11,203 passing yards and 67 touchdowns as a Bear. He was also a solid runner with 168 rushing attempts and 612 yards rushing for the Bears. And McMahon is #1 on the list for playoff passing yards with 967 (although I hope Caleb passes him soon). One can only wonder what could have been except for that dirty hit he took from Green Bay's Charles Martin. I was delighted to lock down the QB position with McMahon in the 2nd round.
Chicago Bears Playoff Passing Yard Leaders:
- Bears Facts (@DaBearsTakeOver) June 26, 2026
1. Jim McMahon - 967
2. Rex Grossman - 783
3. Sid Luckman - 721
4. Caleb Williams - 618
5. Mike Tomczak - 598
6. Mitch Trubisky - 502
7. Jay Cutler - 354 pic.twitter.com/hRvpca4VJ9
RB - Neal Anderson (Round 5): Neal Anderson's career with the Bears was shadowed by the legacy of Walter Payton. Which is why I don't think he gets his due for just how much of a superstar running back he was for the Bears. He played his entire seven-year career with the Chicago Bears. He was 2nd team All-Pro in 1990 and a 4x Pro Bowler. He rushed for 6,166 yards, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. He also had 302 receptions and 2,763 receiving yards. He scored 71 touchdowns (approximately ten touchdowns per season). After Walter and Gale, there is Neal Anderson. To get him in Round 5 was an absolute steal.
WR - Curtis Conway (Round 10): Jacob Infante thinks he has the best wide receiver core in the draft, and admittedly he has assembled a powerhouse, but I think my three wideouts match up, certainly in the speed category, and given I didn't make a pick at wide receiver until round 10, I like my group comparatively speaking. I kick off my Bears WR trio with Curtis Conway. A staple of the 1990s Chicago Bears, Conway was the Bears #1 WR for his career with the Bears, when healthy. The later part of his Bears career was hampered by injuries and sub-par QB play, but in 1995 and 1996 he posted 1037 yards and 1049 yards seasons. In 1995, he posted 12 touchdown receptions. He had 31 total touchdowns for his career as a Chicago Bear.
WR - Willie Gault (Round 15): Speaking of speed, Willie Gault was your prototypical track star convert to wide receiver. Gault qualified for the 1980 US Olympic team and would have participated if the US had not boycotted it. Gault was part of the world record-setting 4x 100 meter relay team in the 1983 World Championships. So yeah, Willie was fast. While he never posted a 1000 yard receiving season (playing in the 1980s on a run-focused Bears team), he posted 800+ twice and 700+ twice as a Chicago Bear. Considering he topped out at 42 receptions in a season with the Bears - his reception-to-yards average was eye-popping. In fact, he averaged over 20 yards per reception for his career with the Bears. Willie was also a prolific kick returner, so he would fill that role on the Chicago Monsters. He had 37 kick off returns for the Bears and amassed 885 kickoff return yards over his career with the Bears, including 577 yards and a 99 yard return touchdown in 1985.
WR - Darnell Mooney (Round 21): I round out my wide receiver core with yet another burner at the position with Darnell Mooney. Mooney posted a 4.38 40 yard dash and was an absolute steal in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. While he dealt with injuries and bad QB play as a Bear that limited his production in 2022-2023, it is his 2021 season that stands out. Mooney posted 81 receptions and 1,055 yards with a 13.0 average yards per reception. He also notched four touchdowns that season. To get him in the flyer" rounds of the draft was a coup.
TE - Mike Ditka (Round 4): I continue my theme of taking amazingly productive players who we maybe don't quite remember were quite as productive as they were with Hall of Fame tight end, Mike Ditka. Sure his stint as the Bears coach in the 80s, including the Super Bowl, the SNL skits, and the iconic stache and cigar are all part of the popular memory of Ditka" (you know how you heard that in your head), but what some of you youngins might not know is Ditka was a great, and I mean great, tight end. Ditka was a terror from day one with the Bears. He caught 58 passes and scored 12 touchdowns as a rookie. He was a key cog of the 1963 NFL championship team. He tied Harlon Hill's franchise record for most receiving touchdowns in a game with four. Ditka ranks first among tight ends and fourth in Bears history with 4,503 yards, fifth in both receptions (316) and touchdown catches (34). He was a 2x First-team All-Pro, 3x Second-team All-pro, and 5x Pro Bowler. At the tight end position, for the Bears, there is Ditka, a big gap, and then everyone else.
LT - Herman Lee (Round 17): With the great left tackles mostly off the board in the early rounds before I had a selection, I bided my time. And boy did I get rewarded with Herman Lee in Round 17. Lee played for the Bears from 1958 to 1966 and was on the 1963 NFL championship team. He is on the centennial list of the 100 greatest Bears of all-time. To get a stalwart, champion left tackle in round 17 of the draft was just a great find.
LG - Joe Thuney (Round 6): Sure, it's just one season with the Bears and I don't get to credit most of his Hall of Fame career with the Patriots and the Chiefs, but what a single season it was. PFF gave Thuney a 79.4 overall grade in the 2025 season, 5th among the 81 qualified offensive guards, and he played 1,149 offensive snaps. His PFF pass-blocking grade of 88.6 ranked 1st among 81 qualified offensive guards, and his run-blocking was a not-too-shabby 71, 19th overall. He allowed zero sacks and one hit to an opposing pass rusher. He permitted only 15 TOTAL pressures in 2025. I'll take that at guard all day and twice on Sunday.
C - Jerry Fontenot (Round 25): Here I used a meta-draft strategy to steal a great center in the last round of the draft. I noticed around Round 14 that all of my fellow competitors already had the center position locked in. Which meant I could wait on Jerry, who only ever played center, until the last pick of the draft. His career with the Bears is certainly worthy of a higher round pick. He was the starting center for the Bears from 1989 to 1996. And he was a steady presence centering the offensive line of the early 1990s Bears teams. The fact those teams weren't very good probably hurt him in the voting for season honors. He was a day one starter as a rookie and he didn't miss a single game his entire career with the Bears. He had only three holding penalties for his ENTIRE career with the Bears. I'll take Jay Hilgenberg-lite in the last round of the draft.
RG - Kyle Long (Round 7): I pounced with back-to-back guard selections by taking Kyle Long. Son of Hall of Famer Howie Long, he was a day one starter at right guard for the Bears (though they dabbled a bit with him at right tackle). He was Second-team All-Pro in 2014 and he was a 3x Pro Bowler. Ignoring his RT stint, as a Right Guard, he gave up a total of 7.75 sacks for his entire Bears career.
RT - James Big Cat" Williams (Round 11): I was targeting Big Cat for awhile and so happy he was still there for me in Round 11. Big Cat Williams was a fixture for the Chicago Bears at right tackle. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2001 and also earned Pro Bowl honors that year. Given the terrible 1990s teams that he played for, his individual honors were undoubtedly hampered - had he been playing on a winning team I have little doubt he would have earned multiple Pro Bowl nods. Over a decade (12 years) locking down the right tackle position for the Bears, spending his entire career as a Chicago Bear, Big Cat is one of the greatest offensive linemen, in terms of longevity and durability and competence, to play for the Bears in history.
I have Chicago Bears Top 100 players at quarterback, running back, tight end, right guard, right tackle, left tackle and wide receiver - key positions on every NFL offense and in particular key for any Chicago Bears offense. I got the #6 overall player (Mike Ditka) on that list in round four. Also Curtis Conway made the top 10 snubs" from the Top 100 list the Bears released on the team's centennial anniversary. More importantly, I feel like my offense gels - in some alternate universe where this team could have been on the field, I have no doubt it would have been a top five, if not top overall, offense, even in today's NFL.
Gooch's Chicago Monsters: DefenseI assembled what I believe to be an amazing offensive team for the Chicago Bears. But like any Bears fan, I believe that defense wins championships. So, I had a strong preference in the draft for building out a defense with players that worked together and formed a cohesive defense that could perform on the field like the 1985 and 2006 Bears defenses. This is that defense. It is a 4-3 base given my preference for the Lovie Tampa 2 players, but my alignment is modern, with the normal strongside linebacker replaced by my nickle slot cornerback.
DE - Alex Brown (Round 12): How about getting one of the most consistent and disruptive defensive ends in Bears history in round 12 of our draft? Alex Brown is one of the most impactful Chicago Bears of the post 2000 Chicago Bears, and we got him in the 4th round of the 2002 NFL draft. He started in his rookie season totaling 40 tackles (31 unassisted) and posted 2.5 sacks. He was a first-alternate for the Pro-Bowl in 2005 totaling 75 tackles, six sacks, eight pass breakups, and three forced fumbles. For his Bears career, he totaled 43.5 sacks, 79 tackles for loss, five interceptions, and 314 solo tackles. An amazing player to get in the middle rounds of the draft.
DT - Tommie Harris (Round 3): I'm going to go out on a limb here. I'm fully aware of the pedigree of the Dan Hamptons, the Richard Dents, the Doug Atkins. But from a pure skill and scheme fit, I don't think there was any Chicago Bear on the defensive line that exceeded Tommie Harris in his prime. Tommie Harris was the quintessential three-technique in Lovie Smith's Tampa 2 defense. Had he been healthy for the 2006 Super Bowl, I have little doubt that the Bears would have prevailed. Tommie Harris was a Second-team All pro in 2005, a 3x Pro Bowler, and he qualified for the 100 greatest Bears of All-Time. Of all of the defensive lineman in Chicago Bears history, only the Danimal sits above Tommie Harris on my board. To get him in round 3 of this draft wasn't just a steal, it formed the very essence of the defense I have built.
DT - Keith Tractor" Traylor (Round 18): Having committed to establishing a 4-3 Tampa 2 defense in my construction of the Monster's defense - I was going to need a 1-technique who could both stack up against the run and play behind the line of scrimmage. Lucky for me, the Tractor was still available in Round 18. He only played for the Bears from 2001-2003, but he was an impactful interior defensive lineman in his time. Of course, we all remember the iconic moment when he intercepted Mark Brunell of the Jacksonville Jaguars and returned it almost for a touchdown. But that moment wasn't the extent of the Tractor's contribution to the Bears. He had 45 tackles, two sacks, that interception, and two forced fumbles as a Chicago Bear, not to mention four passes defended in 2001. He would follow that up with 41 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and two passes defended in 2002. Pairing the Tractor with Tommie almost seems unfair.
DE - Trace Armstrong (Round 16): Continuing my trend of taking Chicago Bears with amazing careers who have tended to be overlooked through the fan historical lense, I chose Trace Armstrong in Round 16. Armstrong was a steady presence on the Bears defense in the early-to-the-mid 1990s, although his production would largely go unrecognized due the fact that the Bears weren't good enough during his tenure. He would play for the Bears for six seasons from 1989 to 1994. Armstrong finished his rookie season with five sacks, and he was voted to the All-Rookie team. He also won the Brian Piccolo award. Over his career, Armstrong would record several double-digit sack seasons with the Bears, in 1990 (10) and again in 1993 (11.5). Over his career as a Chicago Bear, Trace Armstrong tallied 42 sacks in just six seasons.
LB - Brian Urlacher (Round 1): Look, I'm not going to lie. This is my BEST argument for why you should vote for me - and it is simply this, I have, bar none, the best linebacking core of any of the historical teams assembled. You may be wondering about the fact that I took Brian Urlacher when the Bears have Dick Butkus and Michael Singletary on their historical roster. And as much as I love both those players (my number in high school, as a middle linebacker, was #50 for Michael Singletary), I am going to assert with full confidence this fact: Brian Urlacher is the best linebacker, nay, the best defensive player in Chicago Bears history. No player that we have ever had on our team better encapsulated the role he was tasked to play and played it at an all-pro level for longer than Brian Urlacher. First, he played longer for the Bears than any of the other great Bears linebackers: 13 seasons. Over his career, he was NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2000), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2005), he was a 4x First-Team All-Pro, he was Second-team All-Pro in 2010, he is an 8x Pro Bowler. He was the NFL solo tackles leader in 2002. He was #14 on the Top 100 Chicago Bears Centennial team. And he was a member of the NFL's 2000s All-Decade team. He dominated the middle linebacker position in Lovie's Tampa 2 scheme - not only as a massive threat in pass defense in the middle third, but as a pass rusher and a run stuffer. Brian Urlacher is, bar none, the greatest linebacker in Chicago Bears history. He is in the top five greatest linebackers of all time in the whole NFL. To have the opportunity to draft him in the first round was a privilege and an honor.
LB - Wilbur Marshall (Round 8): But wait, there's more! Not only did I get the greatest MLB in Chicago Bears history, I got to pair him with the greatest Will linebacker in Bears history. Don't get me wrong, I would have liked to pair Urlacher with his contemporaneous companion - Lance Briggs - on my defense. But I got to do one better in this draft. I paired Urlacher with the greatest off-ball, non-middle linebacker in Bears history: Wilbur Marshall. Marshall was a Bear during the Super Bowl Shuffle season - playing with the Bears from 1984-1987. During that period, he was a First-team All-Pro (1986), and a 2x Pro Bowler (1986-1987). Marshall shined in the 1985 season, including the iconic runback in the 1985 NFC championship game, where he picked up the fumble by Dieter Brock and alongside the Fridge, returned it 52 yards for a touchdown. In my opinion, if you could take any Chicago Bear linebacker to form a dual tandem, there is no better combination than Brian Urlacher and Wilbur Marshall.
CB - Donnell Wolford (Round 9): At cornerback here, I chose another Chicago Bears player from the lost era - where a great player was forced to play on losing team after losing team. Many young fans of the Bears will have no memory of Wolford, but he was a stalwart #1 cornerback for the Chicago Bears in the dark days of the 90s seasons. Despite the ineptitude of the Bears teams he played for, he would earn Pro Bowl honors in 1994 and be selected for the 100 greatest Bears of all-time during the Centennial celebration. He was a three-time All-Madden team member during his career. He held the record for the most interceptions for a Chicago Bear, at 32 total interceptions, until he was eclipsed by Charles Tillman.
FS - Todd Bell (Round 20): I'll be frank, I am conflicted about this selection. From an ability standpoint - Todd Bell is an obvious selection - particularly as late as I got him in the 20th round. But I remain miffed with Todd for sitting out the 1985 season in a contract dispute. While it allowed the Bears to see the value of Dave Dureson, Bell would have undoubtedly been a key asset for the 85 Bears defense. That said, Bell's career as a Bear is one of the most decorated careers of a Chicago Bears free safety. He was a Second-team All Pro in 1984 and was also a Pro Bowler that season. He would record five interceptions over his career as a Bear, and 8.5 sacks. His reputation was as a hard hitter but he was also solid in coverage.
SS - Doug Plank (Round 14): Literally the defensive player that defined the 4-6 defense that would go on to give the Bears their one-and-only Super Bowl victory, Doug Plank may be the greatest strong safety in Chicago Bears history (Mark Carrier is certainly a strong candidate). He spent his entire playing career with the Chicago Bears, and he is ranked in the top 100 greatest Bears of all-time. He recorded 15 interceptions over his career and 14 fumble recoveries. But it was his hard hitting style in the run game that earned him his reputation and would form the ethos of the 4-6 defense that would lead the Bears to the Super Bowl victory in 1985.
CB - Dave The Weasel" Whitsell (Round 14): This was a historical find in round 14 of the draft, because on the merits, Whitsell should have been drafted at least seven rounds before he went. Nicknamed The Weasel," Dave Whitsell was a key player for the Bears on the 1963 Championship team. During his six-year career with the Bears, he started 83 of the 84 regular season games at cornerback. He was given the nickname Weasel" for his cunning style of play. He had 26 interceptions as a Chicago Bear, two of which he returned for touchdowns. Whitsell was a mainstay for the early 1960s Chicago Bears. The fact he lasted to round 14 is simply a testament to how time dulls the memory of even the most oustanding players in the game.
Slot CB - Bryce Callahan (Round 19). I chose as my utility defensive player, given the modern NFL game as it is, one of the best slot corners to play for the Chicago Bears, Bryce Callahan. Bryce didn't win any all-pro or pro-bowl honors during his career, but that didn't stop him being one of the most impactful, shutdown slot corners in the game during his career as a Chicago Bear. While he would only record 4 interceptions over his four season career with the Bears, that in no way encapsulates his defensive value. Bryce shut down slot receivers and tight ends. In an NFL game that increasingly focused on slot and tight end routes, Bryce was a black hole for opposing offenses. During his four seasons with the Bears he would record 123 tackles from the position of defensive back. He was a key player in the 2018 season and as my utility defender, drafted in the 19th round, I couldn't be happier.
So, let's look at my defense as a whole. I have two edge players who illustrated substantial pass rush abilities and durability as Chicago Bears. At the 3-tech I have perhaps the greatest Chicago Bears defensive lineman of all time. At 1-tech I have the undisputed run-stopper / pass rusher of the last three decades of Chicago Bears defense. And then we look to the linebacking core: I have the absolute, bar-none, greatest linebacker for the Chicago Bears of all time, Brian Urlacher, and I have paired him with the greatest Will linebacker in Bears history - Wilbur Marshall. And I have completed my defense with an umbrella of Chicago greats at the cornerback and safety positions. The 1985 4-6 defense is the greatest defense ever assembled in a single season, but I believe my defense is superior to that defense in almost every metric.Is there any doubt this defense, combined with the offense I have assembled, would be a perennial Super Bowl champion? I certainly do not doubt it.
Gooch's Chicago Monsters: Special TeamsK - Bob Thomas (Round 22): I'm kind of tickled that I was able to secure a kicker and a punter with elite pedigree in the late rounds of the draft. Thomas was a successful place kicker for the Bears from 1975 to 1982. He is, to this day, one of the Chicago Bears franchise's leading scorers. Over his career, he made 87 field goals, and, combined with the extra points he scored, accounted for 261 points from field goals and 169 points from extra points for a total of 430 points scored for the Chicago Bears across his career.
P - Bob Parsons (Round 23): Again, I got to pick a classic, historic Chicago Bear whose career stats and performance match up against any of the greatest kickers for the Chicago Bears across the years. Parsons played for the Bears from 1972 to 1983. His punting average was 38.7 and he had 34,180 punt yards across his NFL career, posting 884 punts. He was the 2x NFL punting yards leader in both 1981 and 1982. He ranks 45 all-time of all punters in NFL history.
ST - Josh Blackwell (Round 24): For my special teams ace I went with a current Chicago Bear who we have come to know and love as a special teams monster (see what I did there). When the Chicago Bears need a great play on special teams, be it a big tackle, a blocked field goal, or a fumble recovery, it always seems to be Josh Blackwell that gets it done. He went undrafted in the 2022 NFL draft, but that has only seemed to inspire Blackwell's play, as he has featured on the Bears special teams unit since then. Despite not having a regular role on the defense, he has made 53 total tackles in his career. And we can add to that two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one interception and one defensive touchdown. His block of the Las Vegas Raiders field goal attempt in the waning seconds of their 2025 matchup is one of the most atheletic plays I've seen in decades (most field goal blocks come up the middle - not from the edge). I'm happy to have Blackwell as my special teams ace!
So there it is, Chicago Bears fans. Gooch's Chicago Monsters. If you doubt whether this team is the greatest Chicago Bears roster assembled of all time, well, you are entitled to your opinion, friend. But I believe this is the greatest Chicago Bears team ever assembled from the greats who have played for the Bears down the years (at least in the context of a fantasy draft), and I believe it is superior to any of the teams assembled by my fellow WCG drafters. But what do you think? Tell us in the comments below, and be sure to vote when the tournament is posted!
You can check out ourfull draft here.
Once all eight teams are announced, we'll hold a tournament and ask you, the WCG readers, to pick the winner.