With one of his daughters fussing in the background and a warm climate in which to savor his news, Brian Urlacher reacted with his typical humility Friday after he was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Joining Mike Singletary as the only Bears to win the honor, Urlacher immediately made his priorities known when it comes to hardware.
“All this stuff is great, good, whoop de doo,” Urlacher said in a conference call. “But I want that Super Bowl ring. I feel we have a really good chance to do it this year.”
Relaxing with his family as the Bears enjoy a three-day break during which they will discover their first playoff opponent, Urlacher said he felt no vindication for winning the award. Last season, in a much-publicized incident, a national publication called Urlacher the most overrated player in the league.
Instead, Urlacher talked joyfully about being healthy again after missing seven games last season, calling it “a blessing.”
He also spread credit around, pointing out that teammates Lance Briggs, Nathan Vasher and Alex Brown also got votes.
The Bears were the only team to have that distinction.
“That shows how good a season we’ve had so far,” Urlacher said. “It’s an individual award, but our team earned [it]. You look at how we played all year. We kept ourselves in pretty much every game.”
Indeed, the Bears flirted with a franchise points-allowed record and led the league by giving up only 202. The defense was ranked No. 1 nearly the entire season before losing the yardage battle to Tampa Bay when the Bears rested regulars on the final weekend.
Most important, it carried the Bears during a time they were developing a rookie quarterback in Kyle Orton. And Urlacher is the defense’s unquestioned leader.
That’s why Urlacher received 34 of a possible 50 votes from a nationwide panel of writers and broadcasters. Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney finished second with four. Briggs, Vasher and Brown received one each.
“It’s a big honor,” Urlacher said. “When you look at the great defensive players in this league, there are a bunch of them out there. Once we win the Super Bowl, this honor will be right up there with that.”
Urlacher led the Bears with 171 tackles and added six sacks and a fumble recovery. But statistics don’t always measure Urlacher’s impact, proven when the Bears went 0-7 as he battled injuries last season.
“He had six sacks early this year, so every time he showed, somebody had to block him,” linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer said. “Then all of a sudden, our `D’ linemen were getting a bunch of sacks. That’s an example of how teams have to prepare for him.
“We watch a lot of film of other defenses for game planning. I haven’t seen anybody who makes the kind of plays he does.”
Added fellow linebacker Briggs: “He’s the best linebacker in the game, period.”
Urlacher joins Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Lawrence Taylor and Dana Stubblefield as those who have won this award as well as Defensive Rookie of the Year. But Urlacher was most awed when told he had joined Singletary in elite company.
Singletary won this award, which began in 1971, in 1985 and 1988.
“That’s pretty good company,” Urlacher said. “He’s a Hall of Famer. That’s awesome. I didn’t know that. That’s cool.”
What must be cool for Bears coaches is that Urlacher isn’t satisfied. Despite winning this award and earning his fifth Pro Bowl selection this season, he remains his own harshest critic.
“There are still a lot of things I don’t do very well,” Urlacher said. “Luckily, I can still run a little bit, so that makes up for a lot of the mistakes I make. I know I can get better. I think our coaches would say the same thing.”
Instead, one coach offered nothing but praise.
“I’ve been saying he should be defensive player of the year for a while now,” coach Lovie Smith said. “His impact on our defense can’t be measured.”
Smith could join Urlacher in hauling some hardware on Saturday when the league announces its Coach of the Year. That would please Urlacher, who shuns the spotlight as much as any superstar.
“I get excited when my teammates make plays,” Urlacher said. “When I make plays, I try not to get too excited. I’m happy. But when I see my teammates having fun, that’s when I get the most fun out of the game.”
Whoop de doo, indeed.
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kcjohnson@tribune.com
