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Brian Urlacher #54 and Julius Peppers #90 of the Chicago Bears celebrate a defensive stop.
In celebration of the NFL’s greatest players of the past 25 years, ESPN’s Quarter Century Team honored several all-time greats. Among the elite group were four former Chicago Bears — Jared Allen, Julius Peppers, Brian Urlacher, and Devin Hester — recognized for their individual dominance and long-lasting impacts on the game. Whether they spent the majority of their careers in Chicago or made a short stop at Soldier Field, each left an unmistakable mark on the franchise and NFL history.
Defensive Greatness: Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers, and Jared Allen Honored in Quarter Century Team
For a team long known for its defensive identity, it’s fitting that three of the Bears’ all-time greats on this list were elite defenders. And no one embodies the Bears’ defensive ethos more than Urlacher, the heart and soul of the team for over a decade.
His résumé includes a Defensive Player of the Year award, five All-Pro selections, 41.5 sacks, and 22 interceptions, the second most among linebackers during the past 25 years. Urlacher led a Bears defense that ranked third in expected points added (EPA) per play from 2001 to 2012. He wasn’t just a hard hitter; Urlacher was a modern linebacker who could cover, rush the passer, and command the field. His presence made the Bears’ defense both feared and respected during the 2000s, culminating in a trip to Super Bowl XLI.
Peppers, who spent four years in Chicago from 2010 to 2013, earned multiple Pro Bowl selections and helped anchor a defense that remained among the league’s best. He finished his career with an astounding 159.5 sacks, the most in the NFL since 2000, and 51 forced fumbles, a number that also leads all players since 2000. ESPN’s metrics also noted that Peppers led all defenders in plus-ERA (a measure of a player’s impact on winning plays) since 2001. The six-time All-Pro’s combination of size, speed, and instincts made him one of the most dominant pass rushers the league has ever seen.
Despite Allen playing just one season with the Bears during the 2014-15 season, he earned his place thanks to a sensational career that included 136 sacks and 32 forced fumbles. While his time with the Bears was brief, Allen’s presence added to the franchise’s lineage of elite edge rushers.
Devin Hester: The Return Game King
GettyDevin Hester returns the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts in the first quarter of Super Bowl XLI.
While defense has always been the cornerstone of Chicago football, the most electric Bear of the 21st century made his name on special teams. Hester, who played in Chicago from 2006 to 2013, changed the way the return game was viewed across the league. With 20 touchdowns and over 11,000 total return yards, the four-time All-Pro shattered records and consistently flipped the field for the Bears. Fourteen of those touchdowns came via punt returns, and no other player during that span had more than four. Hester’s quickness, vision, and knack for big plays made him a threat every time the ball was in his hands.
His impact was so significant that in 2024, he became the first return specialist ever included in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hester’s induction validated not only his greatness but also the importance of special teams in deciding games. His iconic moment, returning the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI for a touchdown, remains one of the most unforgettable plays in NFL history.
Isaac Zuniga is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, and Las Vegas Raiders. He also covers the Chicago Bears for LastWordOnSports.com. More about Isaac Zuniga
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