Former Bears Hester, Peppers, McMichael make NFL Hall of Fame

[UOK]

[WagonForce]

You love to see it.

[G08]

Ayeeeee!!!

I vividliy remember watching week 1 of the 2006 season. Hester was back to return his first kick/punt and I told my buddy "Keep an eye on this kid, he's going to be special"

[Grizzled]

Yee haw!

https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024 ... super-bowl

[The Marshall Plan]

It's too early in the day to cry. The eggs are still cooking.

Whatever.

I'm really happy Mongo was alive for this.

This is Hester's moment too and I don't want to take away from that, more on that later, but I'm just really happy for Mongo and his family.

My buddy died before he got to see the Cubs win it all.

Santo died before getting in.

Mongo is alive when he got in.

At least humanity got 1 out of 3 right.

[Otis Day]

I got to see Hester 3x live and it was worth it. The home game against Denver when he had 2 returns for TDs and a Monday night game in St Louis when he had 2 as well. The dude was RIDICULOUS!!!!!!

[IotaNet]

On this night, on the biggest stage with the brightest lights, Devin Hester showed off for the whole world. Although it was in a losing effort, this is my favorite DH play of all time.

[HurricaneBear]

Hester is so deserving. My favorite player of all time since his Hurricane days. Happy for all of them but Devins got a special place in my heart. Should have been 1st ballot

[dplank]

Good news to start the day

[Sweetness34]

Wow, awesome!! For some reason I thought it was being announced tonight. What great unexpected news this morning!!! I made my first trip ever to Canton when Urlacher was enshrined. I think this warrants a return trip. Just fantastic news!

[Z Bear]

With three Bears getting in I would assume the Bears are a lock for the Hall of Fame game.

[dplank]

With three Bears getting in I would assume the Bears are a lock for the Hall of Fame game.

Let’s hope - an extra game would be dope! Even if it’s just our cast offs out there.

[Sweetness34]

I'm predicting Bears vs Chargers. You know the NFL will want to market Harbaugh's return as well Los Angeles. Gates is pretty much a lock. Plus there is the storyline of Harbaugh returning to the NFL to face the team he played the most years for.

[Moriarty]

Glad they made the right call.

Mongo earned it and deserves to be able to enjoy this before he goes.

[Arkansasbear]

Ayeeeee!!!

I vividliy remember watching week 1 of the 2006 season. Hester was back to return his first kick/punt and I told my buddy "Keep an eye on this kid, he's going to be special"

Playing the Packer no less!!!!!!!!

I have an autographed photo of that return.

[southdakbearfan]

Very sweet indeed

[wab]

I'm super happy for these dudes. I assume Peppers will go in as a Panther though? Either way, it's awesome to see. All three are very deserving.

[spudbear]

Great to hear. I can understand Hester not making it on first ballot, but he needed to be in the HoF. Don't know if there will be another like him.

[Otis Day]

Wow, awesome!! For some reason I thought it was being announced tonight. What great unexpected news this morning!!! I made my first trip ever to Canton when Urlacher was enshrined. I think this warrants a return trip. Just fantastic news!

Someone leaked the info. It was not supposed to come out. But, it is everywhere on the net.

[LacertineForest]

Hell yeah! Well deserved.

[Arkansasbear]

Great to hear. I can understand Hester not making it on first ballot, but he needed to be in the HoF. Don't know if there will be another like him.

I still think he should have been a first ballot guy. NO ONE comes close to what he did. They freaking changed the rules because of the what he did and therefore no one can repeat it.

[spudbear]

Great to hear. I can understand Hester not making it on first ballot, but he needed to be in the HoF. Don't know if there will be another like him.

I still think he should have been a first ballot guy. NO ONE comes close to what he did. They freaking changed the rules because of the what he did and therefore no one can repeat it.

Yes, he should have been a first ballot guy. The fact that he didn't touch the ball as much as a QB/WR/RB during a game was held against him.
Who is currently playing that may be first ballot guys? Mahomes, maybe Kelce. I can't think of anyone on the defensive side.

[Magilla_Gorilla]

I still think he should have been a first ballot guy. NO ONE comes close to what he did. They freaking changed the rules because of the what he did and therefore no one can repeat it.

Yes, he should have been a first ballot guy. The fact that he didn't touch the ball as much as a QB/WR/RB during a game was held against him.
Who is currently playing that may be first ballot guys? Mahomes, maybe Kelce. I can't think of anyone on the defensive side.

Defensive first ballot that immediately come to mind:

Khalil Mack
Bobby Wagner
Aaron Donald
Von Miller

[thunderspirit]

Yes, he should have been a first ballot guy. The fact that he didn't touch the ball as much as a QB/WR/RB during a game was held against him.
Who is currently playing that may be first ballot guys? Mahomes, maybe Kelce. I can't think of anyone on the defensive side.

Defensive first ballot that immediately come to mind:

Khalil Mack
Bobby Wagner
Aaron Donald
Von Miller

Donald for sure.
Wagner probably.

Mack and Miller are on the edge, in my opinion. YMMV.

[docc]

NFL channel just went Blackout in my area, TUCSON ? Really ? I can see it on DTV 205 sportsmix..but blackout for full screen. I guess I'm too close to Vegas..

[Sweetness34]

Now it's official:
https://www.chicagobears.com/news/mcmic ... ll-of-fame

[Arkansasbear]

Here my photo of Hester’s first return.

[UOK]

[Otis Day]

Cool story from Wanny:

“We were in our third week of two-a-days, full pads, no days off, for players, coaches, everybody. Mongo and Keith Van Horne came up to me after practice and said, ‘Hey coach, can we talk to you.’ I said, ‘Sure, what’s up?’ They said, ‘Coach, we're up to our third-straight week of two-a-days, full pads, morning and afternoon, every practice.’ I said ‘Gee, you know what guys I didn’t give it much thought. I tell you what, let’s have good practice and tonight we'll be off, no curfew. I’ll give everybody off.’”

The Bears did have that good practice and Wannstedt kept his word. He gave the team the night off with no curfew. But there was one caveat.

“There’s one bar that you can’t go to in Platteville: the American Legion downtown. That’s the coaches’ bar. Stay outta there. Go anywhere else. I don’t care if you drive back to Chicago. Don't go, that's what we're going to be. I'm going to be there.

“So sure enough, we get done with practice, we watch the tape. The whole staff, we load up into cars and we get down there. We walk in, and who’s sitting at the bar with his little dog? Mongo. I walk in and he looks at me and he smiles. And he chugs his beer– I remember this like it was yesterday– and he reaches in his pocket– Keep in mind that the American Legion in ‘93 or ‘94, beers were probably 20 cents a draft. Maybe a quarter…he reaches in his pocket and he slaps 100 down and he says ‘Take care of these coaches.’

https://www.nbcsportschicago.com/nfl/ch ... UpYYKhMj_k

[HisRoyalSweetness]

I got to see Hester 3x live and it was worth it. The home game against Denver when he had 2 returns for TDs and a Monday night game in St Louis when he had 2 as well. The dude was RIDICULOUS!!!!!!

I only got see him once, at Wembley in 2011. He didn't have a big return that day but I'll always remember the frisson of excitement and anticipation that rippled through the crowd on every punt and kickoff with him back there. I've seen over 30 games since and every team play, but I've never witnessed that again. That's the effect he had.

Richard Dent was there in 2011 proudly wearing his new gold jacket. I wonder if Devin will come over for the game at Tottenham this year. He'd get a rapturous reception and not just from Bears fans.