The Chicago Bears gave up too soon on Wilber Marshall
We have two more players to go on this list and of course, Wilber Marshall is on it. Chicago drafted Marshall in the first round (11th overall) of the 1984 NFL Draft. I should point out I was not even a year old yet. Marshall didn't amount to much in his rookie season, but he found his footing in year two. He finished the year with six sacks, four interceptions and two forced fumbles. He also racked up 78 total tackles. Marshall had a breakout year in his third year. He was First-Team All-Pro and voted to the Pro Bowl. He had 105 combined tackles, 5.5 sacks, five interceptions, four forced fumbles and two TDs.
The fact that Marshall only lasted on the Bears roster for four years was a major disappointment. He moved on to play for Washington for the next five years. He averaged nearly five sacks and 124 tackles per year. He finished with 12 interceptions and 13 forced fumbles during that time too. He was an All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 1991 and 1992.
The Bears never should have let Marshall go. He was an important part of the team's dominant defense and helped lead the team to its only Super Bowl. He won a second Super Bowl with Washington in 1992. Marshall finished out his career with three different teams. To this day, many believe he was a Hall of Fame snub. Maybe if he stayed in Chicago he would have been inducted.