ESPN.com presents Bears http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears 60 en-us Sat, 25 May 2013 20:18:41 webmaster@espn.go.com http://assets.espn.go.com/i/espn/teamlogos/lrg/trans/espn_dotcom_black.gif 110 110 Brian Urlacher talks with ESPN's Josina Anderson about walking away from football.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4683829/video-urlacher-talks-retirement Fri, 24 May 2013 18:32:18 EDT 4683829 San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said Friday that new Chicago Bears coach Marc Trestman "taught me everything" when they were on the Oakland Raiders coaching staff, and he still uses many of Trestman's techniques. "Everything wouldn't be an overstatement," Harbaugh said Friday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN Chicago 1000. "We use his system still of calling plays and the way he taught us those concepts and techniques. I've used (those) since I coached with the Raiders, the University of San Diego, Stanford and the 49ers.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4683818/harbaugh-trestman-taught-me-everything Fri, 24 May 2013 16:47:59 EDT 4683818 It's hard to fathom, but 12 other players wore No. 89 for the Bears after Mike Ditka left the team following the 1966 season. Here's a quick look at the players, some of them even coached by Ditka, who were the number that will be retired on Dec. 9. Matt Spaeth, TE, 2011-12: Spaeth was brought in from Pittsburgh to shore up pass protection for Jay Cutler. He's returning to Pittsburgh to play for the Steelers in 2013. He will have been the last player to wear the number.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4683812/since-ditka-no-89-hasnt-had-high-profile Fri, 24 May 2013 13:44:39 EDT 4683812 A member of the Green Bay Packers is going to miss Brian Urlacher? That's right. Aaron Rodgers said on The Jim Rose Show that the Bears middle linebacker, who retired Wednesday, was his "favorite player to play against." Read the entire story. ]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4683810/rodgers-urlacher-was-my-favorite-foe Fri, 24 May 2013 12:09:35 EDT 4683810 Mike Ditka's final season as a player for the Chicago Bears was in 1966. His last season as their coach was 1992. So why did it take 47 years after his departure as a player, and 21 years after his final season as the coach, to retire the number of one of the most recognizable figures in team history? A small part of the explanation could be the sheer size and breadth of the Bears' history. Before retiring Ditka's No. 89, a move the team announced Friday, the Bears already had the most retired numbers in the NFL (Ditka's is the team's 14th).]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4683809/ditka-credits-george-mccaskey-for-peace Fri, 24 May 2013 11:37:43 EDT 4683809 The Chicago Bears took out full-page ads in two Chicago newspapers to thank linebacker Brian Urlacher, who announced his retirement Wednesday after 13 seasons. "Few play for a storied franchise. Even fewer write their own chapter. Thanks, Brian," the ad in the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times read. The Bears announced March 20 that they were not able to agree to a contract with Urlacher, an eight-time Pro Bowler and face of the franchise. Urlacher was bothered that he didn't receive a call from anyone in the organization to give him the news before the team issued a press release announcing the split.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4683805/bears-place-ads-to-thank-urlacher Fri, 24 May 2013 11:16:12 EDT 4683805 How does each NFC North team look at running back, and what still needs to be done? Chicago Bears: If you were drawing up plans for an experienced but diverse backfield, you could do a lot worse than modeling after the Bears. Starter Matt Forte is a shifty off-tackle runner and one of the NFL's top pass-catching running backs, a collection of skills that will fit neatly into new coach Marc Trestman's offense. Forte has caught 267 passes since his career started in 2008, the third-most in the NFL by a running back over that stretch.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4683803/eight-in-the-box-rb-status-check Fri, 24 May 2013 11:00:58 EDT 4683803 The Chicago Bears will retire Mike Ditka's No. 89 on Dec. 9 during halftime of their Monday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys at Soldier Field, the team announced Friday. Read entire story.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4683800/bears-to-honor-ditka-retire-no-89 Fri, 24 May 2013 07:53:10 EDT 4683800 For being one of the greatest players in Chicago Bears franchise history, Brian Urlacher had a lukewarm relationship with the club's fan base in recent years. And that's a shame. We all make mistakes, and certainly Urlacher is human like the rest of us, but the middle linebacker's accomplishment far outweighed his faults. Urlacher was the driving force behind four division championships and one NFC title, while being named to eight Pro Bowls and winning the 2005 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4683780/urlacher-legacy-one-of-loyalty-to-bears Thu, 23 May 2013 16:54:56 EDT 4683780 Recently retired middle linebacker Brian Urlacher acknowledged during an interview Tuesday with ESPN 1000's "Waddle an Silvy Show" that he would "one-hundred percent" still be playing for the Chicago Bears if the organization had not fired long-time head coach Lovie Smith at the conclusion of the 2012 regular season. Urlacher and Smith had an extremely close relationship. The eight-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker was the centerpiece Smith's Cover-2 defense since 2004 and helped guide the Bears to three division titles in that time span.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4683782/lovie-urlacher-became-family-to-me Thu, 23 May 2013 16:47:44 EDT 4683782