The 2010s is not exactly what Chicago Bears fans would call a fun decade. Which is strange because it started out with such promise. The team went 11-5 in 2010, smoked the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs and made the NFC championship. After that though, it was a long parade of misery. Starting 7-3 in 2011 but finishing 8-8. Going 10-6 in 2012 but missing the playoffs. The crushing defeat against Green Bay in 2013 that cost them the division. Then a slog of ugly seasons from 2014 to 2017 as they were forced to rebuild.
Yet even through all of that, the team still had its individual bright spots. Players who did what they could to make the losing a bit easier to stomach on Sundays. Who was the best of them all? ESPN tackled this challenge on its All-Decade piece, picking out one player from every team. For the Bears, the choice might surprise some people but it shouldn’t it.
It was running back Matt Forte.
“Forte entered the league in 2008 (second-round pick out of Tulane) but became arguably the NFL’s best all-purpose back during the first half of the next decade. Forte spent eight seasons with the Bears, rushing for 8,602 yards and scoring 64 touchdowns. Forte ranks second, behind only Hall of Famer Walter Payton, on Chicago’s all-time lists for rushing yards, yards from scrimmage (12,718), receptions (487) and 100-yard games (24). He’s third in total touchdowns and sixth in receiving yards (4,116).”
Forte was the Chicago Bears engine for almost his entire career
It’s crazy to think that Forte almost should not have been a Bear. The plan going into 2008 was for Cedric Benson to continue his place as the featured starter. However, the running back continued to voice frustrations with the team and also started getting in trouble off the field. So GM Jerry Angelo picked Forte in the 2nd round as insurance and competition. Then Benson was arrested in June for the second time. Chicago cut him shortly after.
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Suddenly it was Forte’s job and he would not relinquish it through his exit from the team in 2016. During that span he accounted for 8,602 rushing yards, 4,116 receiving yards and 64 touchdowns. Just an offensive machine that never got the credit he deserved. Some wonder if he might find his way into the Hall of Fame someday. Sadly that doesn’t feel likely given the devaluing of running backs in recent years and the fact he played in the playoffs just once in his career.
That doesn’t mean he isn’t worthy though.