The Chicago Bears defense has many great eras in its history. Most remember the early 1960s or the mid-1980s. However, one can’t ignore how good the mid-to-late 2000s were with Brian Urlacher, Charles Tillman, and Lance Briggs forming a star-studded core. While Urlacher and Tillman were almost instant success stories with the team, it turns out the fate of Briggs was almost very different. Ironically thanks to Lovie Smith.
Most people remember that Briggs became a superstar in Smith’s Tampa-2 defense. What they don’t know is the head coach almost didn’t sign off on the linebacker playing in his system. Former Bears scout Greg Gabriel remembers the story vividly and told it on the Barroom Network.
Smith wanted to run what had worked so well for him in St. Louis and especially Tampa Bay. For that he needed speed. Especially at the WILL linebacker spot.
“So in my office, there were cards for each of the players and they had their height, weight, and a speed. He (Smith) comes in and Lovie didn’t know Lance. So he looks at his speed and goes, ‘He can’t play.’ Why not? And he’d had a very strong rookie year. ‘Look at the speed.’ I said, ‘Lovie, he plays 4.55.’ He’d timed 4.78 or 4.77 at the combine. I said, ‘Lovie, don’t worry about it. He plays in the 4.5s. He’s got great instincts.’ He goes, ‘Okay, I’ll trust you. We’ll see what happens.’ And obviously history is history.”
Lovie Smith made the right decision on that one
Keep in mind that not every head coach would outright trust a scout like that. He could’ve resisted and gone searching outside the team for that necessary outside linebacker. Instead, he gave Briggs an opportunity. The man responded with 127 tackles, 10 passes defended, and an interception returned for a touchdown. Smith didn’t need any more convincing after that. The linebacker became a fixture in that system for the next nine seasons. During which Briggs collected seven Pro Bowls.
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It’s crazy to think what might’ve happened had Smith had acquiesced. Where would the Bears have found that coveted weakside linebacker? Odds are it would have come in the NFL draft the next year. Future Pro Bowler Thomas Davis was available in that class as was Derrick Johnson. They might’ve done well, but probably nowhere close to what Briggs accomplished.