For 13 years, Brian Urlacher was the face of the Chicago Bears. He was the best player on the field and the most respected voice in the locker room. If he talked, his teammates listened.
At his best, Urlacher could unify a locker room. At his worst, his voice was powerful enough to contribute to a divide with quarterback Jay Cutler that never seemed to close, even after Urlacher retired.
Perhaps the ultimate sign of respect for Urlacher came the night he was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On a snowy night at the University of Minnesota, I flagged down Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the red carpet of the NFL Honors and asked him why Urlacher was so tough to face.