Out of all the players on the Chicago Bears right now, guard Joe Thuney has the best chance to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
As the unquestioned leader and veteran presence of the Bears' offensive line, he's been putting in work for the Windy City and was a huge reason why they won the NFC North title for the first time since 2018 last season. However, he's not quite there yet when it comes to receiving a call from Canton.
There are still a few more awards and accolades he must win before he becomes a lock for the Hall of Fame. By paving the way for Chicago's first Super Bowl since 1985 and putting together a few more Pro Bowl seasons, Thuney would cement himself as a sure thing for the Hall of Fame.
Joe Thuney could be on his way to Hall of Fame after Bears career
Thuney is already on the verge of becoming a Hall of Famer, per ESPN. When you factor in his accomplishments entering his 11th season in the league, it's easy to see why.
A third-round pick out of NC State, Thuney basically started right away and helped the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs dynasties achieve greatness. A four-time Super Bowl champion, Thuney won two Super Bowls with the Patriots (2016, 2018) and two more with the Chiefs (2022, 2023). In fact, he won his first Super Bowl as a rookie starter at left guard for the Patriots. So far, he's continued that track record with the Bears.
Everyone knows the Hall of Fame loves a winner. In this department, Thuney has it covered.
Throughout these years of sustained team success, Thuney also earned the respect of his peers and voters alike, winning four Pro Bowl nods and three First-Team All-Pro selections. This past season, he also became the NFL's inaugural Protector of the Year.
So with this impressive resume, how can Thuney get over the hump and become a Hall of Fame lock? It's simple. As previously mentioned, helping the Bears win their first Super Bowl since 1985 and earn more individual awards.
If the Bears win a Super Bowl with Thuney on the team, that would bring his total to five rings. It would be his first Super Bowl without being part of the Patriots or Chiefs dynasties, and it would carry significant weight because of Chicago's storied football history, large media market, and years of ineptitude that the winning culture he helped create with Thuney wiped away.
You could argue Thuney has enough individual hardware to make it to Canton, given the short careers most guards have. But in terms of making it into the Hall of Fame, you can never have enough hardware.
The last two left guards to be voted into the Hall of Fame were Alan Faneca (2021) and Steve Hutchinson (2020), respectively. Faneca finished his career with nine Pro Bowls and six First-Team All-Pros. Meanwhile, Hutchinson hung up the cleats with seven Pro Bowls and five First-Team All-Pros. Thuney isn't quite there yet, but if he can increase his totals in both of these categories, he should be a lock.
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If elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Thuney would become the 42nd Bear in Canton, the most of any other team by a wide margin.
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