Two former Bears stars—center Olin Kreutz and cornerback Charles Tillman—are among 52 Modern-Era Nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.

Kreutz was chosen by the Bears in the third round of the 1998 draft out of Washington. He was voted to six Pro Bowls during his 13 seasons in Chicago from 1998-2010, anchoring the offensive line while winning four division championships and one conference title. The Washington product appeared in 191 games with 183 starts with the Bears, one shy of Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton's franchise record.

Tillman was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2003 draft out of Louisiana-Lafayette. He played his first 12 NFL seasons in Chicago before spending his final year with the Panthers. He was part of a dominant defense that helped the Bears win three NFC North titles and one conference championship. He set team records with nine defensive touchdowns, eight interception return TDs and 675 interception return yards. His 36 interceptions are the most by a cornerback in Bears history and third overall behind safeties Gary Fencik (38) and Richie Petitbon (37).

Known for smacking the ball away from opponents, a technique dubbed the "Peanut Punch," Tillman forced 42 fumbles in 12 seasons, including a career-high 10 in 2012 when he was voted to his second straight Pro Bowl.

Other Modern-Era nominees for the Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 who played for the Bears but spent most of their careers with other teams are tight end Greg Olsen and guard Ruben Brown.

Olsen was chosen by the Bears in the first round of the 2007 draft out of Miami. He spent his first four NFL seasons in Chicago, catching 194 passes for 1,981 yards and 20 touchdowns. He played the next nine years with the Panthers, where he was voted to three straight Pro Bowls and became the league's first tight end with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Olsen played his final year with the Seahawks in 2020.

Brown spent his final four NFL seasons with the Bears from 2004-07, helping them win the NFC championship and earning a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2006. Prior to joining the Bears, he was voted to eight Pro Bowls in nine seasons with the Bills.

In the next step of the process, each member of the Hall of Fame's 50-person Selection Committee will cast a vote for the 25 nominees each believes should advance to the Semifinalist stage. That list will be announced in about five weeks.

Because they reached the final list of seven Modern-Era Players under consideration for the Class of 2025 but were not elected, Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri automatically advance to the final 15 this election cycle.

Eventually, 20 Finalists will be presented at the Selection Committee's annual meeting next year in advance of Super Bowl LX: 15 Modern-Era Players, three Seniors, one Coach and one Contributor. While there is no set number of enshrinees for any class, the Hall of Fame's selection process bylaws stipulate that between four and eight new members will be selected.