Julius Peppers played only four of his 17 NFL seasons with the Bears. But the former star defensive end lauded the city and its fans during his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech Saturday in Canton, Ohio.

"To the city and the fans of Chicago," Peppers said, "I know you guys didn't draft me, but when I came there, you treated me like I was one of your own, and I appreciate that. So as always, 'Bear down!'"

During his speech, Peppers revealed that he adopted a philosophy espoused by his defensive coordinator with the Bears, Rod Marinelli.

"Rod would always say in the meetings, 'the star of the team is the team,' and that's how I tried to play the game," Peppers said. "All I ever wanted to do was do my job, help the team win and earn [teammates'] respect."

Peppers ranks fourth in NFL history with 159.5 sacks, including 37.5 with the Bears from 2010-13. He spent the rest of his career with the Panthers (2002-09 and 2017-18) and Packers (2014-16).

Peppers closed his speech with a powerful and inspirational message about what being a Hall of Famer means to him.

"It's not about how many touchdowns you score or how many Super Bowl rings you have, even though those things are nice," he said. "It really comes down to who you are at your core and what's in your heart. Are you resilient? Do you stand tall in the face of adversity when things get tough, or do you quit? Do you acknowledge other people's contributions to your success, or do you make it all about you?

"Being a Hall of Famer is one of my crowning achievements. But it extends far beyond pro football. It extends to my family, and it extends to my daily life. Everyone can't play in the NFL, and everyone can't have a bust here in Canton. But everyone can be a Hall of Famer in your own life. You can be a Hall of Fame dad or a Hall of Fame student, teacher, spouse, co-worker, friend, whatever it is. Whatever it is you do, do it with respect, integrity, passion, resilience, dedication and gratitude. That alone will make you a Hall of Fame person and you too can have a legacy that lives on forever."