The Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame’s class of 2024 will formally be inducted on Aug. 3.
With lower than a month till the annual occasion in Canton, Ohio, we’re analyzing which gamers — previous and current — on the league’s 32 groups we predict will someday obtain an analogous honor.
Listed below are three Chicago Bears who ought to ultimately obtain soccer immortality:
Linebacker Lance Briggs
Briggs was the center of the Bears’ protection over a 12-year profession, rising as a flexible difference-maker at linebacker. A seven-time Professional Bowler and one-time first-team All-Professional, he is ranked nineteenth all-time with 944 solo tackles (97 for loss), including 84 go defenses, 16 compelled fumbles, 16 interceptions and 15 sacks in 173 video games, all with Chicago.
Solely three linebackers in NFL historical past have equaled or surpassed these totals. In the meantime, all of them did so over a for much longer stretch than Briggs, together with Karlos Dansby (212 video games), London Fletcher (256 video games) and Corridor of Famer Ray Lewis (228 video games).
Briggs’ lack of All-Professional choices is obtrusive, however for many of his profession, he was battling for a spot alongside the likes of Derrick Brooks, Clay Matthews and DeMarcus Ware.
The previous Bears standout retired following the 2014 season, so he is been eligible for some time now. Possibly it is time Canton lastly got here calling.
Cornerback Charles Tillman
Tillman was a strong cornerback and chief from the bounce however did not begin to get recognition till a lot later in his profession.
Over his first eight seasons within the NFL, Tillman averaged 83 tackles, 15 go defenses, 4 interceptions and 4 compelled fumbles. However upon receiving his first Professional Bowl (2011, 2012) and All-Professional (2012) nods, he was producing practically on the identical price, posting 84 tackles, 15 go defenses, seven compelled fumbles and three interceptions per yr.
Typically neglected, Tillman was a mannequin of consistency and in addition a singular game-changer. The NFL has seen its justifiable share of impactful defensive gamers, however no participant in historical past has mixed for extra profession compelled fumbles (44) and interceptions (38) than the previous Bears standout.
Linebacker Khalil Mack
Mack is already on the Corridor of Fame radar as an eight-time Professional Bowler and three-time All-Professional. He’s nonetheless lively, enjoying for the Los Angeles Chargers, however the No. 5 choose within the 2014 NFL Draft made a large influence throughout his time with the Bears.
Over his 4 seasons with Chicago, Mack was a power, recording 36 sacks over 53 video games. From 2018 to 2021, simply eight gamers had extra, with solely Chandler Jones doing so in fewer video games (52).
Mack is barely the sixty fourth participant in NFL historical past to surpass the century mark in sacks. In the meantime, simply three gamers have posted extra (101.5) over their first 151 video games, together with Dexter Manley (103.5), Mark Gastineau (107.5) and J.J. Watt (114.5).
