When Brian Urlacher was asked to participate in the NFL 100 commercial that aired at halftime of the Super Bowl, the Bears Hall of Fame middle linebacker didn't hesitate.
"When they asked me I said, 'Hell, yeah, I'll do it,'" Urlacher said. "It was fun. It was cool. I was very happy to be a part of it."
The two-minute commercial, dubbed "The 100-Year Game," features more than 40 current and former NFL players, including 19 Hall of Famers. The spot kicked off a yearlong celebration of the NFL's 100th season in 2019. You can watch the spot in its entirety below.
Urlacher is among three former Bears in the commercial, joining fellow Hall of Fame middle linebackers Dick Butkus and Mike Singletary.
The players are all seated at a banquet, listening to a speech by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell when Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch accidentally knocks a gold football off the top of a cake. Singletary, with his famous eyes bulging, screams, "Fumble!"
Chaos ensues from that point on, with some of the best players in NFL history passing, catching, running and tackling. Joe Montana responds to Michael Irvin calling for the ball by saying, "No can do, Cowboy," and throws to former 49ers teammate Jerry Rice.
Deion Sanders intercepts the pass and is promptly drilled into a table by Urlacher.
Bears fans may be disappointed to learn that Urlacher didn't really obliterate Sanders.
"That was not me hitting Deion or Deion getting hit," Urlacher said. "We had doubles for that. I just did the run-by and then they showed the hit."
Urlacher taped his scene in Los Angeles the Monday after the NFC and AFC championship games. Although he's shown sitting next to Rob Gronkowski, the two were never in the same room, or even the same part of the country; the Patriots tight end actually taped his portion in Atlanta the week before the Super Bowl.
"The editing was phenomenal," Urlacher said.
Urlacher revealed that he was actually sitting next to Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald and the only other players he saw in person were Sanders, former safety Ed Reed and former running back LaDainian Tomlinson.
"My part was quick," Urlacher said. "I did the run-by and fake-tackled Deion. I sat there with 'Fitz' and we watched the whole scene where Ed Reed hits L.T. I watched that happen 10 times. I was only there for an hour-and-a-half; my favorite commercial ever."
The spot was directed by Peter Berg, who directed the movies "Patriots Day" and "Friday Night Lights" and has also worked in Hollywood as an actor, producer and writer.
The first time Urlacher saw the finished product was when the commercial aired during the Super Bowl.
"I thought it was great," Urlacher said. "It was funny, it was witty. I liked the story. Peter Berg is the man; that's why it was so good. The writing was great obviously. The whole concept was very good."
