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Top 10
Top 10: Michigan, Illinois turned Bears
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, and his Illinois counterpart, Lovie Smith, both have strong connections to the Bears. With their teams playing on Saturday, here's the top 10 Bears players who have played for either school.
1 / 10
- QB Brian Griese / Michigan 1993-1997, Bears 2006-2007. Griese won a national championship as the Wolverines' starting QB in 1997. He joined the Bears towards the end of his pro career, throwing 11 touchdowns over two seasons in Chicago.
2 / 10
- RB-CB Bennie McRae / Michigan 1959-1961, Bears 1962-1970. A track star and running back in college, McRae switched to play defensive back as a pro. He recorded 27 career interceptions with the Bears, including four returned for touchdowns. In 2002, McRae was inducted into Michigan's Athletic Hall of Honor.
3 / 10
- RB-CB J.C. Caroline / Illinois 1953-1954, Bears 1956-1965. Known as Mr. Zoom with the Fighting Illini, Caroline led the nation in rushing in 1953, gaining 1,256 yards. With the Bears, he was moved to the secondary and was a key member of Chicago's 1963 NFL Championship team.
4 / 10
- LB Ed O'Bradovich / Illinois 1958-1961, Bears 1962-1971. A feared linebacker and Illinois native, O'Bradovich never left his home state. After starring for the Illini he was drafted the Bears, where he played his entire career. He finished his career in Chicago with 13 fumbles recovered.
5 / 10
- RB Anthony Thomas / Michigan 1997-2000, Bears 2001-2004. The A-Train rolled through Ann Arbor, picking up a pair of All-Big Ten honors. As Chicago's second-round pick in 2001, Thomas kept running hard. He was named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year that season, after rushing for 1,183 yards and seven touchdowns.
6 / 10
- QB Jim Harbaugh / Michigan 1982-1986, Bears 1987-1993. Harbaugh was the Big Ten Player of the Year as a senior, before being taken by the Bears in the first round of the 1987 draft. With Chicago, Harbaugh started 65 games over seven seasons, throwing for 50 touchdowns. After playing, Harbaugh has gone into coaching, leading the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII before returning to his alma mater.
7 / 10
- OG Kurt Becker / Michigan 1977-1981, Bears 1982-1990. Becker was a physical offensive lineman who was twice named first-team All-Big Ten while playing for the Wolverines. In the pros, he was a key blocker up front for the Bears, starting 35 career games. Becker was a member of the Super Bowl XX championship team, though he missed the game because of a knee injury.Â
8 / 10
- DE George Halas / Illinois 1917-1918, Bears 1920-1929. The patriarch of pro football, Halas made an impact far beyond the playing field. After winning MVP of the 1919 Rose Bowl, he created the Decatur Staleys, the franchise that would eventually become the Chicago Bears. Halas played for the Bears for nine seasons, coached the team for 40 years and was an executive for 47 seasons.
9 / 10
- RB Red Grange / Illinois 1923-1925, Bears 1925, 1929-1934. A member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, Grange was an amazing talent at the dawn of football. He scored 31 touchdowns in three years with the Illini, before entering the professional ranks. Known as the Galloping Ghost for his great speed, Grange found the end zone 32 times with the Bears.
10 / 10
- LB Dick Butkus / Illinois 1962-1965, Bears 1965-1973. Butkus is one of the toughest and best linebackers college or pro football has ever seen. A two-time All-American at Illinois, he twice finished in the top six of the Heisman Trophy voting. In Chicago, Butkus made eight Pro Bowls, finishing his career with more than 1,000 tackles. He has been enshrined in both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
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