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Top 10: Linebackers in Bears history
With the Bears spending their first-round draft pick Roquan Smith, senior writer Larry Mayer ranks the top 10 linebackers in franchise history.
![Doug Buffone
Often overshadowed by teammate Dick Butkus, Buffone was a key contributor and longtime team leader while playing 14 seasons with the Bears from 1966-79.](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/es0vic9wzqtjprjd47ma.jpg)
1 / 10
- Doug Buffone Often overshadowed by teammate Dick Butkus, Buffone was a key contributor and longtime team leader while playing 14 seasons with the Bears from 1966-79.
![Clyde "Bulldog" Turner
Turner was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame primarily due to his play at center, but he doubled as a linebacker who led the NFL with eight interceptions in 1942.](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/j09hycshawxqdncswqv3.jpg)
2 / 10
- Clyde "Bulldog" Turner Turner was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame primarily due to his play at center, but he doubled as a linebacker who led the NFL with eight interceptions in 1942.
![Wilber Marshall
A devastating hitter—just ask Joe Ferguson—Marshall played only four seasons with the Bears, but he was voted to two Pro Bowls and was selected first-team All-Pro in 1986.](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/x5l7jgxxivj7had37nu8.jpg)
3 / 10
- Wilber Marshall A devastating hitter—just ask Joe Ferguson—Marshall played only four seasons with the Bears, but he was voted to two Pro Bowls and was selected first-team All-Pro in 1986.
![Otis Wilson
Wilson was a key member of the 1985 Super Bowl XX championship team, recording 10.5 sacks. But he was dominant for nearly a decade, playing eight seasons with the Bears.](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/oxxrwirmbv5cifriooqn.jpg)
4 / 10
- Otis Wilson Wilson was a key member of the 1985 Super Bowl XX championship team, recording 10.5 sacks. But he was dominant for nearly a decade, playing eight seasons with the Bears.
![Joe Fortunato
Selected to five Pro Bowls, Fortunato was named to the All-NFL Team of the Decade for the 1950s and helped the Bears win the 1963 NFL Championship.](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/q32nv6lmjpxljcgfquzt.jpg)
5 / 10
- Joe Fortunato Selected to five Pro Bowls, Fortunato was named to the All-NFL Team of the Decade for the 1950s and helped the Bears win the 1963 NFL Championship.
![Lance Briggs
A seven-time Pro Bowl who was often overshadowed by Brian Urlacher, Briggs was an instinctive tackling machine who is arguably the best outside linebacker in Bears history.](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ojjkm0iszyzgmapc4gtd.jpg)
6 / 10
- Lance Briggs A seven-time Pro Bowl who was often overshadowed by Brian Urlacher, Briggs was an instinctive tackling machine who is arguably the best outside linebacker in Bears history.
![Mike Singletary
Singletary was selected to a Bears record 10 Pro Bowls and was voted All-Pro eight times while captaining one of the best defenses in NFL history for more than a decade.](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/nwd8elbgpjtdjukrsrpw.jpg)
7 / 10
- Mike Singletary Singletary was selected to a Bears record 10 Pro Bowls and was voted All-Pro eight times while captaining one of the best defenses in NFL history for more than a decade.
![Bill George
George, who invented the middle linebacker position when he dropped off the line in 1954, was voted to nine Pro Bowls and was an eight-time All-Pro in 14 seasons with the Bears.](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/u1brypbfv4cgjlnlu3sc.jpg)
8 / 10
- Bill George George, who invented the middle linebacker position when he dropped off the line in 1954, was voted to nine Pro Bowls and was an eight-time All-Pro in 14 seasons with the Bears.
![Brian Urlacher
With a freakish combination of speed, size and athleticism, Urlacher was voted to eight Pro Bowls while patrolling the middle of the Bears defense for more than a decade.](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/e4ub2bvkagz2v9jksjkp.jpg)
9 / 10
- Brian Urlacher With a freakish combination of speed, size and athleticism, Urlacher was voted to eight Pro Bowls while patrolling the middle of the Bears defense for more than a decade.
![Dick Butkus
Arguably the most ferocious defensive player in NFL history, Butkus was voted to eight Pro Bowls and was a six-time All-Pro in nine seasons with the Bears.](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ez4c7rq7ivapvvyeipma.jpg)
10 / 10
- Dick Butkus Arguably the most ferocious defensive player in NFL history, Butkus was voted to eight Pro Bowls and was a six-time All-Pro in nine seasons with the Bears.
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