The Chicago Bears will kick off their 2023 regular season against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 10, which is now 51 days away.
From now until the start of the season, we’ll be counting down each day by revisiting the players who have worn that specific jersey number.
No. 51 was most famously worn by Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus. While there were seven other players to wear the number after Butkus, the number was retired after 1987.
With 51 days until kickoff, here’s a look at every player to ever wear No. 51 for the Bears (via Pro Football Reference):
C Mark Rodenhauser: 1987
LB Jim Morrissey: 1985-93
LB Kelvin Atkins: 1983
LB Doug Becker: 1978
LB Bruce Herron: 1978-82
LB Mel Rogers: 1977
OL Dan Neal: 1975
LB Dick Butkus: 1965-73
LB/OL Wayne Hansen: 1952-58
END Rudy Smeja: 1944
END Clint Wager: 1942
END Ken Kavanaugh: 1940-50
