Legendary Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher was born on May 25, 1978.
Urlacher flourished at football while playing for the University of New Mexico, playing defense and contributing six touchdown catches on offense. That stellar two-way performance earned him a shot at the NFL, where he became one of his generation's best linebackers.
Urlacher played his entire career for the Chicago Bears, leading them to a Super Bowl appearance in 2006. He earned eight Pro Bowl selections and is the Bears franchise leader for both single-season tackles and career tackles.
Urlacher also played with a mean streak, and as concerns about the connection between football concussions and brain injuries gained greater steam, he was a prominent voice in declaring that he felt the rewards were more than worth the health risks.
After a 13-year NFL career, Urlacher retired in 2012.
