Brian Urlacher facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Brian Urlacher

Urlacher in 2014
No. 54
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1978-05-25) May 25, 1978 (age 47) Pasco, Washington, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	258 lb (117 kg)
Career information
High school:	Lovington (Lovington, New Mexico)
College:	New Mexico (1996–1999)
NFL Draft:	2000 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9
Career history
Chicago Bears (2000)
Career highlights and awards
NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2005) NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2000) 4× First-team All-Pro (2001, 2002, 2005, 2006) Second-team All-Pro (2010) 8× Pro Bowl (2000–2003, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011) NFL solo tackles leader (2002) NFL 2000s All-Decade Team PFWA All-Rookie Team (2000) 100 greatest Bears of All-Time Consensus All-American (1999) MW Player of the Year (1999) First-team All-MW (1999) New Mexico Lobos No. 44 retired
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 1,361 Sacks: 41.5 Forced fumbles: 11 Pass deflections: 90 Interceptions: 22 Defensive touchdowns: 4
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame

Brian Urlacher (born May 25, 1978) is a former American football player. He was a linebacker for 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears in the National Football League (NFL). A linebacker is a defensive player who lines up behind the defensive line. They are important for stopping runs and covering passes.

Urlacher played college football for the New Mexico Lobos. He was recognized as an All-American in his senior year. This means he was considered one of the best college players in the country. The Bears chose him as the ninth overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft.

Brian quickly became one of the NFL's top defensive players. He won the NFL Rookie of the Year Award in his first season. During his career, he was chosen for eight Pro Bowls. A Pro Bowl is an all-star game for the best players in the NFL. He was also named a first-team All-Pro four times. This means he was selected as one of the best players at his position in the entire league. In 2005, he won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

Early Life and High School Football

Brian Urlacher was born in Pasco, Washington. He grew up with his younger brother, Casey Urlacher. After his parents separated, Brian and his siblings were raised by their mother in Lovington, New Mexico.

From a young age, Brian loved sports. He played football, basketball, and ran track. He graduated from Lovington High School in 1996. While his mother worked hard, Brian spent his teenage years playing sports and training.

In high school, Brian played many different positions in football. He was a running back, wide receiver, return specialist, and defensive back. In 1995, he led the Lovington High School Wildcats to a perfect 14–0 season. They won a state championship. That season, he scored 12 touchdowns catching the ball, 6 touchdowns returning the ball, and 2 touchdowns running the ball. He also earned state honors in both football and basketball. Lovington High School later retired his jersey number to honor his achievements.

College Football Career

Urlacher went to the University of New Mexico and studied criminology. He played for the Lobos football team. His first coach, Dennis Franchione, moved him to linebacker. Brian didn't play much at first because older players were ahead of him.

When a new coach, Rocky Long, arrived, Urlacher started to shine. He got more playing time and played a special role called "Lobo-Back." This position was a mix of a linebacker and a free safety. He also played as a return specialist and wide receiver in his last two years.

Brian became one of the team's best players. He finished his college career with 442 tackles, 3 interceptions, 11 sacks, and 11 forced fumbles. He also caught 6 touchdowns as a wide receiver.

After the 1999 season, Brian was recognized as an All-American. He played in the 2000 Senior Bowl, which is a game for top college players. He led the nation with 178 tackles in his junior year, setting a school record. He also had the third most career tackles in the University of New Mexico's history.

The University of New Mexico has honored Brian many times. They gave him the Male Athlete of the Year Award in 2000. In 2006, they held a special ceremony for him. He was the first person inducted into the University of New Mexico's Football Wall of Fame. On November 9, 2013, the school retired his No. 44 jersey. Brian Urlacher was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on December 5, 2017.

Professional Football Career

Urlacher playing for the Bears in 2008.

Joining the NFL

Brian Urlacher was seen as one of the most talented college players before the 2000 NFL draft. He impressed everyone at the NFL Scouting Combine, where players show off their skills. He could bench press 225 pounds 27 times and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds.

The Chicago Bears needed a strong defensive player. They chose Urlacher in the first round as the ninth overall pick.

Early Seasons (2000–2004)

Brian signed a five-year contract with the Bears. The team's coach, Dick Jauron, saw that Urlacher could play both middle and outside linebacker. He started as the strongside linebacker. After a tough first game, he lost his starting spot.

However, he got his chance again when another player was injured. Urlacher played great as a middle linebacker. He had 46 tackles, 6 sacks, and 1 interception in his next five games. He won the Rookie Defensive Player of the Month award in October. He led the Bears with 124 tackles and 8 sacks, setting new rookie records for the team. Many news groups named him the 2000 Defensive Rookie of the Year. Fans also voted him to play in the 2001 Pro Bowl.

In the 2001 season, Urlacher became one of the Bears' most important players. He had an amazing game against the Atlanta Falcons, stopping their fast quarterback, Michael Vick. He also caused a fumble that he returned for a 90-yard touchdown. The Bears won 13 games that season, their best record since 1986. They made the playoffs but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.

After 2001, the Bears had three losing seasons. Urlacher also dealt with some injuries during this time.

Urlacher in 2011.

Star Player (2005–2011)

In 2005, Urlacher won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. His team's defense allowed the fewest points and caused the most turnovers in their conference. Urlacher had at least 10 tackles in six games in a row and finished with 121 tackles. He was also a leader for the team, helping younger players. The Bears finished with an 11–5 record, their best since 2001. Urlacher was chosen for the 2006 Pro Bowl.

The team continued to play well in the 2006 season, finishing with a 13–3 record. Urlacher had one of his best games against the Arizona Cardinals. He helped the Bears come back from being 20 points behind. He made 19 tackles and forced a fumble that led to a touchdown. His teammate Devin Hester said Urlacher "turned into the Incredible Hulk" in that game. The Bears won the NFC Championship but lost Super Bowl XLI to the Indianapolis Colts. Urlacher was named to the 2006 All-Pro Team and 2007 Pro Bowl.

In the 2007 season, the Bears struggled. Urlacher had an arthritic back but still played well. He finished the season with 5 interceptions, 5 sacks, and 123 tackles. He had minor neck surgery after the season.

In 2009, Urlacher dislocated his wrist in the first game and missed the rest of the season. He had surgery and wore a cast for 12 weeks. After recovering, he felt stronger. In 2010, the Bears added Julius Peppers, a strong defensive player.

With Peppers, Urlacher and the Bears improved to an 11–5 record in 2010. They won their division and earned a bye in the playoffs. Urlacher was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month. The Bears beat the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs but lost to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game. Urlacher was voted to his seventh Pro Bowl.

In 2011, Urlacher sprained his MCL (a knee ligament) in the last game of the season. He was named to the 2012 Pro Bowl but couldn't play because of the injury. He had knee surgery in August 2012 but still played in the first game of the 2012 season.

Final Season and Retirement (2012)

Urlacher in 2009

In 2012, Urlacher won the Ed Block Courage Award. This award is given to players who show sportsmanship and courage. He thanked the Bears for their support after his mother passed away. In a game against the Tennessee Titans, Urlacher intercepted a pass and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown.

Urlacher suffered a hamstring injury in week 13 and missed the rest of the season. He became a free agent in March 2013. The Bears announced that he would not return after they couldn't agree on a new contract.

On May 22, 2013, Brian Urlacher announced his retirement from football on his Twitter account. In his 182 NFL games, he started all but two. He set a team record with 1,779 tackles. He also had 41.5 sacks, 22 interceptions, 16 fumble recoveries, and 11 forced fumbles.

Hall of Fame Induction

On November 21, 2017, Urlacher was named a semi-finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2018. It was his first time being considered. On February 3, 2018, Brian Urlacher was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Other Work and Public Life

Urlacher at the Incirlik Air Base in 2014

In 2002, Brian Urlacher appeared on the game show Wheel of Fortune and won over $47,000 for charity. He also appeared as himself in an episode of the TV show According to Jim.

Urlacher has been in many commercials for companies like McDonald's, Domino's Pizza, Comcast, Nike, Campbell's Chunky soup, Old Spice, and Glacéau. He was also on the cover of the video game NFL 2K3.

In 2012, when Nike became the NFL's uniform supplier, Urlacher modeled the new uniforms. In July 2013, he became a football analyst for Fox Sports 1 on a show called Fox Football Daily. He left this role in September 2014 to spend more time with his family.

In December 2014, Urlacher visited US troops in different countries as part of the USO Chairman's Holiday tour.

In 2014, Urlacher had hair transplant surgery and became a spokesperson for the clinic.

Reputation

After his successful first season, Urlacher became very popular with fans. His jersey sales were as high as other NFL stars. Fans voted him into eight Pro Bowls. His teammates and coaches also praised his character and athletic skills.

In 2006, a Sports Illustrated poll of NFL players named Urlacher the second most overrated player. Urlacher responded by saying, "Just watch the film. All I can do is go out there and play hard and try and help my team win."

NFL Career Statistics

Personal Life

Brian Urlacher has two daughters, Pamela and Riley, with his ex-wife Laurie. He also has a son, Kennedy, who plays safety for the USC Trojans.

Brian's younger brother, Casey, played briefly in the Arena Football League. Casey was later elected mayor of Mettawa, Illinois, in 2013.

In April 2012, Urlacher dated model and actress Jenny McCarthy. They ended their relationship in August 2012. Brian married Jennipher Frost, a former contestant on America's Next Top Model, on March 13, 2016.

In his free time, Urlacher enjoys golfing. He also likes watching the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and Entourage. He listens to many types of music, including hip hop, rock, and country music.

See also

In Spanish: Brian Urlacher para niños