For Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs – ‘Batman and Robin' – Bears relationship went beyond schemes

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The combined Bears careers of Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher produced 15 Pro Bowls, 56 sacks, 38 interceptions and more than 2,500 tackles. It also produced a lifetime friendship.

“It was a real relationship,” coach Lovie Smith told NBC Sports Chicago.

Smith inherited Briggs and Urlacher when he succeeded Dick Jauron in 2004 and both flourished under Smith and his staff.

“There was no jealousy, none of that," Smith said. "They just worked so well together.”

Very well, in fact. The Bears ranked in the top 10 defensively in both points and yards allowed in five of the 10 seasons in which Briggs and Urlacher played together.

Character was involved, on and off the field.

“Once you’ve earned his respect, he’ll go to bat for you for life,” Briggs said. “His voice carried a lot of weight in that [Halas Hall] building over the years we were there. So if you had his respect, he was always going to be in your corner. I know there were a lot of things where he had my back.”

Urlacher is preparing for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. Briggs is two years away from consideration but as far as Smith is concerned, “Lance Briggs is a Hall of Fame linebacker as well. No question about it. Lance had a Hall of Fame career, and was one of the best ever at his position.”

Urlacher agrees. Asked by NBC Sports Chicago to rank his top five linebackers of all time, Urlacher listed, from 1-5, Dick Butkus, Lawrence Taylor, Junior Seau, Ray Lewis. And Briggs.

The problem was, “Lance played with Brian Urlacher,” Smith said. That’s going to push you back [in recognition] a little bit. But Lance could do it all. And Brian recognized that.”

They both began their Bears careers at a position arguably the worst for each – strong-side linebacker. They ended those careers linked forever in Bears lore, as “Batman and Robin to some,” but more properly as two of the great linebackers in Bears history.

It wasn’t automatically that way, however.

“When Lance got there, I was thinking, ‘Who the hell is this kid?’” Urlacher said. “He didn’t really say much. Maybe midway through Lance’s rookie [‘03] year, Warrick [Holdman] got hurt and Lance stepped in at ‘Sam’ and did a pretty good job. He still didn’t say much, which I kind of liked in rookies, but at that point of his rookie year, I thought, ‘Man, this kid is going to be good.’

“And then Lovie came in and that scheme fit Lance to ‘T.’ It was built for Lance and I said, ‘he is going to thrive.’ And he did. I knew early on because he had such instincts, and those instincts just took over. He just knew. He may not even have been in the right spot every time, but he always ended up making plays.”

The two ended up as more than just teammates. “It evolved in the best way a football relationship can,” Briggs said. “Brian was already established when I was drafted [in 2003] and I had to earn his respect on the field, so the quiet kid I was my rookie year, the veterans were speaking up for me, to have me on the field with them.”

Urlacher retired after the 2012 season, which also was Smith’s last as coach. Briggs’ tone becomes a touch wistful recalling that last year together.

“That last year, 2012,” Briggs said, pausing, “I really, really enjoyed.”

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