BEARS
Doug Atkins: Defensive end; eight-time Pro Bowler; inducted into Hall of Fame in 1982.
George Blanda: Quarterback and kicker, 1949-58; also played with Houston and Oakland; entered Hall of Fame in 1981.
Dick Butkus: Hall of Fame middle linebacker from Chicago Vocational and University of Illinois; set the standard for linebacker play and was named to all-time NFL team.
Kevin Butler: Placekicker on Super Bowl XX team; Bears all-time scoring leader.
George Connor: Tackle and linebacker who was All-NFL five times; joined Hall of Fame in 1975.
Richard Dent: Defensive end, 1983-93 and 1995; played in four Pro Bowls; named MVP of Super Bowl XX.
Mike Ditka: Coach of Super Bowl XX and Hall of Fame tight end; now head coach of New Orleans Saints.
John “Paddy” Driscoll: Bears and Cardinals running back in 1920s, later coached Bears; entered Hall of Fame in 1965.
Bobby Douglass: Hard-running and wild-throwing quarterback 1969-75.
Danny Fortmann: Guard, 1936-43; played both ways; entered Hall of Fame in 1965.
Bill George: Hall of Fame linebacker, 1952-65; starred on 63 NFL championship team.
Harold “Red” Grange: Dominant running back at University of Illinois and with the Bears; he was key to early popularity of NFL.
George Halas: Legendary player, coach and owner; co-founded the National Football League.
Dan Hampton: Defensive end, 1979-91; played in four Pro Bowls.
Bill Hewitt: Hall-of-Fame end; last player to play without a helmet; designed play that won 1933 NFL championship.
Stan Jones: Tackle-guard, 1954-65; inducted into Hall of Fame in 1991.
Sid Luckman: Hall of Fame quarterback for 12 seasons.
George McAfee: Running back and defensive back in 1940s; career interrupted by World War II.
Mike McCaskey: Bears president, grandson of George Halas.
Jim McMahon: Flamboyant quarterback on Super Bowl XX team.
Johnny Morris: Flanker, 1958-67; had NFL-record 93 receptions in 1964.
Larry Morris: Linebacker was MVP in 1963 NFL championship game.
George Musso: Tackle, guard and defensive tackle, 1933-44; first All-NFL at two positions; Hall of Fame in 1982.
Bronko Nagurski: Punishing running back; retired in 1937 for pro wrestling career; entered Hall of Fame in 1963.
Bill Osmanski: “Dr. Bill” was star of 73-0 championship-game win in 1940 and later became a dentist.
Walter Payton: Hall of Fame running back. Sweetness is the NFLs career rushing leader.
Brian Piccolo: Running back 1966-69; after he died of cancer more than $2 million was raised for cancer research.
William “The Refrigerator” Perry: Defensive tackle on Super Bowl XX team; also was used at running back; may have been the NFLs largest-ever player.
Gale Sayers: Electrifying running back 1965-71; scored 22 touchdowns in 1965, including six in one game. Youngest player voted into Hall of Fame.
Mike Singletary: Linebacker, 1981-92; appeared in 10 Pro Bowls.
Joe Stydahar: A tackle, was first player ever drafted by the Bears; played 1936-42 and 1945-46; Hall of Fame in 1967.
George Trafton: Center, 1920-32; tough player – once put four players out of game in first 12 plays. Hall of Fame in 1964.
Clyde “Bulldog” Turner: Center and linebacker, 1940-52; Hall of Fame in 1966.
CARDINALS
Elmer Angsman: Halfback who scored twice as Cardinals won the NFL title game, Dec. 28, 1947.
Walt Kiesling: Hall of Fame guard.
Ernie Nevers: Running back and coach; scored NFL-record 40 points in 1929 game versus the Bears.
Duke Slater: Tackle who became a Chicago judge.
Jim Thorpe: Running back, first president of the NFL; greatest Native American athlete; stripped of his two gold medals in 1912 Olympics for playing semi-pro baseball; played for N.Y. Giants against the Sox in 1917 World Series; played professional football for the Cardinals and Bears; first inductee to Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Charlie Trippi: Halfback, scored twice, as did Angsman, in Cardinals NFL title victory on Dec. 28, 1947.
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
Jay Berwanger: Halfback who was first Heisman Trophy winner in 1935.
Amos Alonzo Stagg: Football coach, University of Chicago. Coached for 57 years, his 314 victories is third-best ever.
NORTHWESTERN
Mike Adamle: All-American running back gained a then-school record 1,255 yards in 1970; played in NFL, later network football analyst.
Darnell Autry: Record-breaking running back on 1995-96 Northwestern Big Ten champions; left school early for NFL; now with the Bears.
Gary Barnett: Football coach took team from the dregs of the Big Ten to two-time conference champs (1995-96).
Pat Fitzgerald: Two-time All-American linebacker on 1995-96 Big Ten champs.
Otto Graham: NU quarterback, became an NFL Hall of Famer with Cleveland Browns.
NOTRE DAME
Dan Devine: Was 53-16-1 as Irish coach from 1975-80, won 1977 national championship.
“The Four Horsemen”: College footballs most famous backfield played from 1922-24. Jim Crowley, halfback, Elmer Layden, fullback (later coached Fighting Irish), Don Miller, halfback, Harry Stuhldreher, quarterback.
George Gipp: Running back a.k.a. “the Gipper”, played his last game at Northwestern, Nov. 20, 1920.
Lou Holtz: Irish football coach, 1986-96; won national championship in 1988.
John Lattner: Heisman Trophy-winning halfback in 1953; attended Oak Parks Fenwick High School.
Frank Leahy: Coach, 1941-43 and 1946-53; was a tackle on Knute Rocknes last three Notre Dame teams; coached six undefeated teams and won five national championships.
Ara Parseghian: Coach 1964-74; won three national championships with Irish; Northwestern coach 1955-63.
Knute Rockne: One of the greatest names in college football history, coached Notre Dame from 1918-30 and won six national championships.
Chris Zorich: All-American and Bears defensive tackle; Chicago native runs Christopher Zorich Foundation to aid the disadvantaged.
