Top 5 Chicago Bears nobody talks about

4. Pat O’Donnell, P

Surprised to see a punter on this list? I would be too if I wasn’t a Chicago Bears and Michigan State Football fan. As a fan of two football teams that have, historically speaking, no offense whatsoever, I have a unique appreciation for the least respected positions in football.

The Bears, since I’ve been born and for the foreseeable future, will be trying to succeed with a powerhouse defense and an average-at-best offense. That’s the way its going to be, and we have to accept that. But for any defense to succeed, it all starts with field positioning. If I had a list containing the “top 5 aspects of football nobody talks about,” field positioning would be number one.

Pat O’Donnell hasn’t been the best punter in the league, but he’s been consistent. His career 44.9 yards per punt is average, but he takes off the weight that’s put on so many front office’s shoulders to find a good punter. And for a squad that punts a lot, O’Donnell has a bigger role on this team than expected.

Surprisingly, O’Donnell is the Bears’ current record holder in yards per punt (season) and yards per punt (career). He’s still relatively young and should have a long future with Chicago.