Chicago Bears Top 100: #62 Tom Thayer
We’re heading into the dog days of the offseason, counting the days until the Chicago Bears 2014 season kicks off. Thanks to Bear Goggles On contributor and the fine editor of Blackhawk Up Keith Schultz’s suggestion, we’re going to do a Top 100 list of the all time Chicago Bears. It’s a fun way to pass the time and take a stroll down memory lane.
Next up in our Top 100 is another classic Chicago Bear, but someone who’s also very much involved in today’s team. #62 on our countdown is former guard and current broadcaster Tom Thayer.
More from Bears History
- 4 former Chicago Bears headline 2024 Hall of Fame candidates
- Chicago Bears legend Matt Forte celebrates 37th birthday
- Chicago Bears Flashback: Nick Foles fuels 4th quarter comeback
- The Chicago Bears hold this NFL record against Washington
- The six best fantasy football players to play for the Chicago Bears
Thayer is an interesting former Chicago Bear. He grew up in Joliet and attended Joliet Catholic before enrolling at Notre Dame. He was drafted by the Bears in the fourth round of the 1983 draft, but didn’t make his NFL debut with the Bears until 1985 after spending the first couple of years out of Notre Dame with the USFL’s Chicago Blitz, Arizona Wranglers and Arizona Outlaws. In fact, in 1985, Thayer played 46 professional games including preseason and postseason between the USFL’s Outlaws and the Bears.
Thayer won the starting right guard job partway through the 1985 season and never missed a game or a start through the 1992 season with the Beloved where he remained an anchor at right guard before trying a final shortened season with the Dolphins in 1993.
Thayer joined the Chicago Bears radio booth in 1997 and has been broadcasting with various partners ever since. He enjoys spending his offseasons surfing in Maui when he’s not doing work for the Bears broadcasts and website. As a Super Bowl champion and a fixture on the Bears offensive line for over a decade, he rightfully takes his place among the Chicago Bears Top 100 of all time.
What do you think of the ranking? Too high? Too low? I guess you’ll have to check back to see who finished ahead of him to judge for yourself. We’ll be counting down a different person each day as we inch our way to the September 7th season opener.