With the Chicago Bears regular season opening game rapidly approaching, we at Bear Goggles On have been previewing a player each down as we countdown the days until the season starts. With 52 days left until the Bears open at home against the Green Bay Packers, we are going to take a look at linebacker Jonathan Brown and other player who have worn 52 in Bears’ history.
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Brown was a four-year contributor in college playing for the University of Illinois. He was a tackling machine, who could make plays behind the line of scrimmage consistently and also rush the passer well at times.
Brown finished his college career with 317 total tackles, 14 sacks and three interceptions. Being a little bit undersized and lacking speed and athleticism, Brown was always a long shot to make it in the NFL. He went undrafted in 2014, but signed a free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals released Brown before the season started, and he was eventually scooped up by the Bears. Brown never made the active roster, but the team did send him to the practice squad. To this point, Brown has not made an impact on the field, but he is a hard-nosed player who could help the team in many ways.
While I doubt he makes the roster to start the season, I would not be surprised to see the Bears give Brown a look, at least as a special teams contributor, before the season is over.
The number 52 does not have a very impressive history with the Chicago Bears. Here are some notable players who have worn the number:
Rich Coady (1970-74)
John Babinecz (1975)
Dan Neal (1975-84)
Cliff Thrift (1985)
Larry Rubens (1986)
Mark Rodenhauser (1987-88)
Mickey Pruitt (1988-91)
Darwin Ireland (1995)
Robert Bass (1995)
Bryan Cox (1996-97)
Andre Collins (1998)
Keith Burns (1999)
Bobbie Howard (2001-03)
Marcus Reese (2004)
Jamar Williams (2006-09)
Brian Iwuh (2010-11)
Jabara Williams (2011)
Blake Costanzo (2012-13)
Not exactly a prime list of players there, with Cox probably being the guy with the most successful career. Cox did enjoy a lot of success in the NFL, spending 12 seasons in the league at the middle linebacker position. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection, and named a First-Team All-Pro one time. However, all of that happened within the first five years of his career with the Miami Dolphins.
Cox was never able to duplicate his success during his two seasons with the Bears, but he did go on to have a great career otherwise.
While the number 52 has not produced many contributors for the Bears, the countdown piece for Friday showcases a huge Bears’ legend. Stay tuned.
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