Chicago Bears Top 100: #54 – Willie Gault
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.
He’s Speedy Willie and he’s world class and he’s #54 on our list of the Top 100 Chicago Bears of all time. Wide receiver Willie Gault is next to be featured in our countdown. It’s rare to see a Chicago Bears wide receiver make the list, but Gault gets the nod as an iconic member of the 1985 Super Bowl team.
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The Bears drafted Gault in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft out of Tennessee. Gault was already decorated in Track and Field and had it not been for a 1980 boycott of the Summer Games, Gault would likely have been an Olympic medalist. Instead, he entered the NFL in 1983 and took the league by storm. As a rookie, he used his speed to separate from defenders and pull in 40 catches for over 800 yards and 8 TD’s.
He went on to play 5 seasons with the Bears from 1983 – 1987, pulling in 184 balls in just 76 games for 3650 yards, averaging almost 20 yards per catch. He finished with 27 touchdowns, good for 7th on the Chicago Bears all time list of receiving touchdowns. After his stint with the Bears, went on to play another six season with the Oakland Raiders where he continued to stretch the field.
Perhaps Gault’s biggest contribution to Bears lore was something he did off the field. During the 1985 season, as the Bears were soaring toward an undefeated season, Gault organized his teammates to perform a rap song for charity. That song, of course, was the Grammy nominated Super Bowl Shuffle.
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.