http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/CHI/6410686

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (June 4, 2003) -- The Chicago Bears and three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Urlacher have agreed to terms on a new nine-year contract, extending the Bears leader in tackles the past three seasons through the 2011 season.

Urlacher's original five-year contract, signed in 2000, was set to expire following the 2004 season. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Urlacher, the Bears first-round draft pick in 2000 (ninth overall), established a new franchise single-season record with 214 tackles in 2003, the first Bears defender to eclipse the 200-tackle plateau, besting the previous mark of 190 set by Hall of Famer Dick Butkus in 1972. The third-year pro out of New Mexico has averaged over 175 tackles per season during his three years in Chicago and shattered the Bears rookie record for stops with 165 in 2000, becoming just the second first-year player to lead the team in tackles en route to earning the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year honor.

Urlacher, whose replica jersey was the top selling jersey in the NFL last season, was the leading defensive vote getter by fans in Pro Bowl balloting in 2003, earning his third trip to the NFL's all-star game in as many seasons. He became just the sixth player in franchise history to earn Pro Bowl berths each of their first three seasons in the NFL (Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, Mike Ditka, Rick Casares and Harlon Hill). In 2001, the 6-4, 258 pounder finished fifth in NFL MVP voting, leading all defensive players in the balloting and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by Football Digest. He has led the Bears in tackles in 22 of the team's last 26 games and his 527 career tackles are the most ever for a Bears player to start a career.

well deserved!!

I love his intensity, his speed, his tackling skills.

and no off-the field troubles.

Just another in a line of great MLB -- Butkus, Singletary, and now Uhrlacher

I would say that this was a waste of money but the great thing about the NFL is they can cut you and your contract anytime they want.

I think it was a good move by the Bears. Lots of money, but Urlacher is the heart of the team and is a fan favorite. Hard to say a guy like that should be valued only by numbers.

BGray

Urlacher is a great linebacker and a durable player. His hard work has earned him this contract.

yep, I love urlacher, but I think he needs to work on his run defense as he was a little exposed last year on his run game, with those 2 big guys out last year. I think the NFL looked at he will catch you and run you down like a runaway slave, if you head for the sidelines, but if you run right at him you can pick up a ton of yards.

did anyone else see this, it all started in the detroit game, James Stewart did and everyback after that did some damage.

I don't have a clue what you just said in the above post.

Anyone got Cliff's Notes?

Originally posted by podstock
I don't have a clue what you just said in the above post.

Anyone got Cliff's Notes?

do you watch football? ok you do

urlacher's first year, the 2 big guys in the middle that played in front of him were Keith Traylor and Ted Washington both 300+ provided cover and allowed urlacher to roam free when teams tried to run up the middle, it kept urlacher free from blockers, but last year they were hurt and teams could get a blocker on urlacher, and they could run off 4- 5 yards if the went up the middle, before he could tackle them.

now it is another thing went the RB/FB would try to take the ball outside as urlacher would run them down with his blazing speed.

Because of that, I said he needs to work on staying free from blocks because alot of teams did that to them last year and the detroit lions(james stewart) were the one's that exposed that only weakness in his game last year and several teams followed suit, showing that the lions game was no fluke.

examples...
1. MINNESOTA rushing: Michael Bennett 16-53, Moe Williams 7-48, Doug
Chapman 5-33, Daunte Culpepper 4-2.

2. ATLANTA rushing: Michael Vick 10-56, Warrick Dunn 15-34, T.J. Duckett
5-32.

3. NEW ORLEANS rushing: Deuce McAllister 17-45, Aaron Brooks 7-28.

4. no stats for rushing, but had over 100 yards rushing

5. GREEN BAY rushing: Ahman Green 27-107, Donald Driver 1-13, Najeh
Davenport 1-3, Brett Favre 1-1.

6. Stewart rushed for a career-high 172 yards on 32 carries and accounted for both Lions touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 28 yards to give him 200 yards of total offense.

"I wouldn't say this was easy, but we got into a rhythm," said Stewart who hadn't rushed for more than 88 yards in a game this season.

7. MINNESOTA rushing: Michael Bennett 29-106, Daunte Culpepper 8-31, Moe
Williams 6-9, Randy Moss 1-2.

8. James Stewart, who had 85 yards on 22 carries

9. GREEN BAY rushing: Tony Fisher 17-91, Ahman Green 12-78, Brett Favre
2-9, Donald Driver 1-3.


10. MIAMI rushing: Ricky Williams 31-216, Travis Minor 8-21, James
McKnight 1-10, Jay Fiedler 1-10, Sage Rosenfels 1-MINUS 2.

11. NY JETS rushing: Curtis Martin 21-127, Laveranues Coles 1-5, Chad
Morton 1-2, Chad Pennington 1-0.

12. CAROLINA rushing: Dee Brown 23-55, Joe Montgomery 7-20, Nick Goings
6-17, Rodney Peete 4-MINUS 3.

13. TAMPA BAY rushing: Michael Pittman 21-90, Mike Alstott 12-42, Rob
Johnson 3-29.

the stats are not complete as these were the one's I could find, when they shut down the running game, they won, when they didn't they loss. As I watched every game last year, they ran the ball mostly up the middle, and that is where the biggest gains came. Where does urlacher play? hmmmm middle linebacker.

Being the Bears fan that i am, i still think this deal may be a little too long term. I don't think Urlacher will have that great of a year this year, mainly because Roosevelt Colvin is gone. Urlacher really played well with Colvin, and thrived off him. His numbers also began to tapper off towards the end of last season, once teams got used to him, and knew what his playing style was like.

Im not taking anything against Urlacher, he really is a great player, i just think a 9 year deal was a little steep(even for him).
But then again, knowing Urlacher, he will prove me wrong!

bergzautos.. I agree with everything you said.

Furthermore, football is a totally contact sport on every possession.

And there's always that chance of being seriously injured on every possession.

I wonder why they went 9 years?

Why not 5-7?

And Gio --- thanks for the explanation

YES!!!!!!!!!!