Chicago Bears Countdown to Kickoff: 61 Days with Bill George

Bill George's retirement and legacies with the Chicago Bears and NFL

George's final season with the Bears came in 1965, and after being held to just two games due to injury, the linebacker elected to sign a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams before retiring following the 1966 season. George finished his NFL career with 15 seasons played, 14 of which were with the Bears.

With eight Pro Bowl appearances and eight First-Team All-Pro nominations, George was the premier linebacker of his generation. Statistically speaking, a lot of George's game logs are fairly incomplete, but at minimum, he finished his Bears' career with 18 interceptions, 17 fumble recoveries, and 27 sacks across 159 games in which he logged 157 starts.

Following this illustrious career, where again it is important to note how influential he was in the history of NFL defensive schemes, George was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1974 alongside legendary players such as Lou Groza and Dick "Night Train" Lane. Additionally, George was added to the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.

Unfortunately, George was not present for the latter induction due to his sudden passing in 1982, when he died in a car crash at the age of 52. Even after his untimely death, the Chicago Bears, the NFL, and a number of other sports media outlets have recognized George's legacy and greatness in a variety of different ways, including having his number retired by both the Bears (61) and Wake Forest (47), being named to the NFL All-Decade Team of the 1950s, and being named as the best player ever to wear the number 61.

George not only started a long run of elite middle linebackers in Bears history, including Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, and Brian Urlacher, but also completely reshaped the defensive strategies in the NFL, to the point where it wouldn't be the same game today had George not pioneered the position. His legacy cannot truly be quantified, and his impact far outreaches wins and championships with the Bears, making him an easy and significant choice for this series.