Last week we asked fans on ChicagoBears.com to rank the 10 best Bears players who never made a Pro Bowl as a member of the organization.
Below are my rankings as well as rankings from fan voting, which is based on a points system.
Brown spent his first eight NFL seasons with the Bears, appearing in 127 games with 107 starts and recording 43.5 sacks and five interceptions. He ranks fourth on the team's all-time sack list behind only Richard Dent, Steve McMichael and Dan Hampton.
Fan ranking: No. 2
Brown garnered 46 percent of the first-place votes, most of any player. The only other individual to receive more than 10 percent of the first-place votes was Doug Buffone with 25 percent.
One of the most popular Bears players during and after his career, Buffone played 14 seasons in Chicago, tied for second in franchise history. Though overshadowed by Hall of Fame teammate Dick Butkus, Buffone was a playmaker whose 24 career interceptions are the most in Bears history by a linebacker.
Fan ranking: No. 1
Buffone received fewer first-place votes than Brown but finished first after receiving 40 percent of the second-place votes.
Jones played just three seasons with the Bears, but he was highly productive, leading the team in rushing with 948 yards in 2004, 1,335 in 2005 and 1,210 in 2006. The only other Bears players who have rushed for at least 1,200 yards in two seasons are Walter Payton and Matt Forte.
Fan ranking: No. 4
Jones received the most fifth-place votes of anyone in the poll with 33 percent. He was balanced across the board in the other slots with 9 percent at Nos. 1, 2 and 3, 8 percent at Nos. 4 and 6 and 7 percent at Nos. 7, 9 and 10.
A stalwart on defense for more than a decade, Osborne spent his entire 13-year NFL career with the Bears, appearing in 186 games with 154 starts. The Florida native was selected by the Bears in the seventh round of the 1972 draft out of Southern.
Fan ranking: No. 10
The six spots between where the fans and I ranked Osborne was the largest discrepancy of any player in the poll. He received the most eighth-place votes with 41 percent and just a total of 9 percent in the first five slots.
Selected by the Bears with the seventh pick in the 1993 draft, Conway played his first seven NFL seasons in Chicago. He is tied for fourth on the franchise's all-time receiving list with 329 receptions, is sixth with 4,498 yards and is tied for fifth with 31 touchdowns.
Fan ranking: No. 3
Conway garnered the most third-place votes of anyone with 35 percent and also received 12 percent of the fourth-place votes.
Chosen by the Bears in the second round of the 1975 draft, Hartenstine appeared in 179 games with 140 starts over 12 seasons. A rugged defender against the run and pass, he led the Bears with 12 sacks in 1983, the second year after sacks became an official NFL statistic.
Fan ranking: No. 5
Hartenstine received the most fourth-place votes with 35 percent, but he drew only a total of 10 percent in the first three slots.
A starter on the 1985 Super Bowl XX championship team, McKinnon caught 180 passes for 2,840 yards and 21 touchdowns and returned three punts for TDs in 85 games over six seasons with the Bears. He was also an excellent and willing blocker on offense.
Fan rating: No. 7
The fans and I both ranked McKinnon at No. 7. He actually earned the most sixth-place votes in the poll (40 percent) but only received a total of 22 percent in the top five spots.
Chosen by the Bears with the 11th pick in the first round of the 1981 draft out of USC, Van Horne appeared in 186 games with 169 starts over 13 seasons. He was a key member of the 1985 Super Bowl championship team, joining Thayer, left tackle Jimbo Covert, left guard Mark Bortz and center Jay Hilgenberg on a talented offensive line.
Fan rating: No. 9
Van Horne earned the most 10th-place votes with 44 percent, but he received between 4-8 percent in every slot from 1-through-9.
A key member of the 1963 NFL championship team, O'Bradovich spent his entire 10-year NFL career with the Bears. The Chicago native's interception set up the Bears' game-winning touchdown in their 14-10 victory over the New York Giants in the NFL title game.
Fan rating: No. 6
O'Bradovich garnered the most seventh-place votes and received at least 4 percent in all 10 spots.
Selected by the Bears in the fourth round of the 1983 draft out of Notre Dame, the Joliet product was an integral part of some of the best offensive lines in NFL history, appearing in 123 games with 120 starts over eight seasons with the Bears.
Fan rating: No. 8
Thayer received the most ninth-place votes with 38 percent. But he also drew 8 percent at Nos 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Senior writer Larry Mayer ranks the best Bears players to have never made the Pro Bowl during their tenure with the organization.
10. G Tom Thayer (1985-92)
Selected by the Bears in the fourth round of the 1983 draft out of Notre Dame, the Joliet product was an integral part of some of the best offensive lines in NFL history, appearing in 123 games with 120 starts over eight seasons with the Bears.
9. DE Ed O'Bradovich (1962-71)
A key member of the 1963 NFL championship team, O'Bradovich spent his entire 10-year NFL career with the Bears. The Chicago native's interception set up the Bears' game-winning touchdown in their 14-10 victory over the New York Giants in the NFL title game.
8. T Keith Van Horne (1981-93)
Chosen by the Bears with the 11th pick in the first round of the 1981 draft out of USC, Van Horne appeared in 186 games with 169 starts over 13 seasons. He was a key member of the 1985 Super Bowl championship team, joining Thayer, left tackle Jimbo Covert, left guard Mark Bortz and center Jay Hilgenberg on a talented offensive line.
7. WR Dennis McKinnon (1983-85, '87-89)
A starter on the 1985 Super Bowl XX championship team, McKinnon caught 180 passes for 2,840 yards and 21 touchdowns and returned three punts for TDs in 85 games over six seasons with the Bears. He was also an excellent and willing blocker on offense.
6. DE Mike Hartenstine (1975-86)
Chosen by the Bears in the second round of the 1975 draft, Hartenstine appeared in 179 games with 140 starts over 12 seasons. A rugged defender against the run and pass, he led the Bears with 12 sacks in 1983, the second year after sacks became an official NFL statistic.
5. WR Curtis Conway (1993-99)
Selected by the Bears with the seventh pick in the 1993 draft, Conway played his first seven NFL seasons in Chicago. He is tied for fourth on the franchise's all-time receiving list with 329 receptions, is sixth with 4,498 yards and is tied for fifth with 31 touchdowns.
4. DT Jim Osborne (1972-84)
A stalwart on defense for more than a decade, Osborne spent his entire 13-year NFL career with the Bears, appearing in 186 games with 154 starts. The Florida native was selected by the Bears in the seventh round of the 1972 draft out of Southern.
3. RB Thomas Jones (2004-06)
Jones played just three seasons with the Bears, but he was highly productive, leading the team in rushing with 948 yards in 2004, 1,335 in 2005 and 1,210 in 2006. The only other Bears players who have rushed for at least 1,200 yards in two seasons are Walter Payton and Matt Forte.
2. LB Doug Buffone (1966-79)
One of the most popular Bears players during and after his career, Buffone played 14 seasons in Chicago, tied for second in franchise history. Though overshadowed by Hall of Fame teammate Dick Butkus, Buffone was a playmaker whose 24 career interceptions are the most in Bears history by a linebacker.
1. DE Alex Brown (2002-09)
Brown spent his first eight NFL seasons with the Bears, appearing in 127 games with 107 starts and recording 43.5 sacks and five interceptions. He ranks fourth on the team's all-time sack list behind only Richard Dent, Steve McMichael and Dan Hampton.
