Chicago Bears legend Olin Kreutz is officially a finalist for the NFL Hall of Fame, per NFL.com. There is a real chance Kreutz might be accepted into the Hall of Fame sooner rather than later.
When it comes to getting into Canton, there is a short list of former Bears players that have a real chance to get in, and Kreutz is one of them.
Why Kreutz's resume speaks for itself to be in the Hall of Fame
A six-time Pro Bowler and a member of the 2000s All-Decade Team, Kreutz was the definition of consistency, durability, and longevity during his 13 seasons in the Windy City. The embodiment of toughness and what it means to be a Bear, Kreutz only missed one game in 2002 because he had his appendix removed. His 183 career starts with the Bears are the second most with the team. Only Walter Payton started more games for the Bears.
Besides individual accolades and longevity, Kreutz was the foreman of some of the best teams in Bears history, paving the way for several ground-and-pound, run-heavy offenses. In 2006, Kreutz and the Bears' line helped the team reach the Super Bowl, where they lost to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. In 2010, after trading for quarterback Jay Cutler, the Bears advanced to the NFC Championship game, losing to arch-rival Green Bay Packers.
One net positive Kreutz has going for him when it comes to Hall of Fame consideration is the lack of quarterback continuity throughout his career. Great centers tend to have the same quarterback for the bulk of their career. Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster snapped the ball to quarterback Terry Bradshaw for the bulk of his career. Denver Broncos center Tom Nalen was quarterback John Elway's bodyguard for the bulk of his career, as well.
Meanwhile, Kreutz was a different breed. During his career with the Bears, he played with 20 different quarterbacks! This is an incredible feat for any linemen, but especially a center, whose primary goal is to snap the ball, block, and make sure his fellow linemen are all on the same page. Out of those 20 quarterbacks, the most productive was Jay Cutler, despite his gunslinging tendencies.
No center in the Hall of Fame can brag about playing for 20 different quarterbacks. This most definitely gives Kreutz an advantage over other finalists.
Like Hall of Famers for any position in the NFL, they must be the best player at their position for a respectable amount of time. And Kreutz was. The stud from Honolulu, Hawaii, was one of the best centers in football during the mid-2000s. Besides Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday and Seattle Seahawks center Kevin Mawae, there weren't too many centers playing better football than Kreutz.
Kreutz playing for a big market team like the Bears will also be a huge plus when voters consider who will and won't get in. Obviously, who you play for doesn't matter when it comes to getting into Canton, but it can be advantageous, especially considering Kreutz's Bears enjoyed success in the late 2000s.
Other centers Kreutz will have to compete with to get into the Hall of Fame are New York Jets great Nick Mangold and Denver Broncos center Tom Nalen. All three honestly have a solid chance of getting in, but what sets Kreutz apart is his longevity; his award shelf features six Pro Bowls, which is notable given the lack of quarterback continuity throughout his career.
If Kreutz gets enshrined into the Hall of Fame, he will be the 33rd Bears player in Canton,the most of any team in the entire NFL.
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Regardless of whether Kreutz makes it to the Hall of Fame or not, he will always be a legend in the city of Chicago--and that just might be as good as it gets.