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.
Our next stop in the Top 100 countdown brings us to some royalty. No, not football royalty, real royalty. Defensive end Adewale “The Prince” Ogunleye, whose grandfather was a king in a Nigerian city-state, checks in at #52 on the Bears all-time list. Ogunleye played his college ball at Indiana, but went undrafted, most likely because of a knee injury he suffered his senior year. The Miami Dolphins scooped him up after the draft and he spent the 2000 season on IR.
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Ogunleye eased his way back onto the field in 2001, only seeing action in 7 games and having minimal impact with only half a sack. But 2002 saw Wale burst on the scene with 9.5 sacks, 57 tackles and a couple of forced fumbles. He built on that strong campaign to have a Pro Bowl season in 2003. Ogunleye led the AFC with 15 sacks and earned All Pro honors. After a camp holdout before the 2004 season, you can’t blame the Bears for trading Marty Booker and a 3rd round pick to get Ogunleye to help shore up their defensive line.
In true Bears fashion, Ogunleye didn’t quite live up to the All Pro form he showed in Miami, but he was still pretty effective during his 6-year stint with the Bears. Ogunleye’s best season with the Bears was in 2005, when he led the team with 10 sacks as they made a return to the postseason for the first time since 2001. Ogunleye was part of the Bears 2006 Super Bowl team.
Over his 6 seasons with the Bears Ogunleye recorded 42 sacks, good for 6th on the Bears all time list.
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.