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Chicago Bears: 30 greatest players in franchise history

By Conor Dorney

Walter Payton #34, Running Back for the Chicago Bears during his final game in the American Football Conference West game against the Los Angeles Raiders on 27 December 1987 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California, United States. The Bears won the game 6 - 3. Visions of Sport. (Photo by Mike Powell/Allsport/Getty Images)
Walter Payton #34, Running Back for the Chicago Bears during his final game in the American Football Conference West game against the Los Angeles Raiders on 27 December 1987 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California, United States. The Bears won the game 6 - 3. Visions of Sport. (Photo by Mike Powell/Allsport/Getty Images) /
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Jay Hilgenberg, Chicago Bears
(Photo by George Rose/Getty Images) /

1981-91. Jay Hilgenberg. 20. player. 57. . C

Another center? What are the odds!

While much of the focus on the Bears in the 1980’s revolved around their defense, there still needed to be talent on the other side of the ball to make the whole thing work. Sure, the position of center is one of the less-talked about positions on the field when it comes to the casual plan, but there’s no doubt that Jay Hilgenberg still belongs on this list.

After going undrafted out of Iowa, the Bears snatched up Hilgenberg and the former Hawkeye would soon become part of a wildly talented Chicago offensive line unit. He helped to anchor the unit up front for all 11 of his seasons with the Bears, and was named to seven Pro Bowls along the way, beginning in the magical 1985 season.

You have to imagine that going up against one of the league’s all-time best defenses every day in practice would prepare you for pretty much anything come game day, and Hilgenberg was an undisputed leader of that very offensive line unit.

Somehow, Hilgenberg is not enshrined in Canton just yet but I would have to imagine that his day will come at some point. Not everyone remembers the starting centers of great football teams, but it’s hard to ignore just how important the play of Jay Hilgenberg was to the franchise over the course of his career.

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