Brandon Marshall, Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman among ex-Bears on initial Hall of Fame list

Former Bears Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman and Brandon Marshall are among the 167 modern-era players nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class this year.

Others with Bears ties include defensive end Jared Allen, who came close to enshrinement last year, and offensive linemen Olin Kreutz and Josh Sitton. Running back Thomas Jones and receiver Muhsin Muhammad are on the list, as is quarterback Doug Flutie, guard Ruben Brown, defensive linemen Clyde Simmons and Ted Washington, linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo and running back/receiver Glyn Milburn.

Briggs and Tillman each played for the Bears from 2003-14. Tillman, a second-round pick, made two Pro Bowls as a cornerback and popularized the “Peanut Punch” as a way to force fumbles. Briggs, a linebacker who spent most of his career playing next to Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher, made seven Pro Bowls. When Urlacher was inducted in 2018, he stumped for Briggs to make the Hall, too.

The mercurial Marshall set Bears records with 118 receptions, 192 targets and 1,508 receiving yards in 2012. His 3,524 yards from 2012-14 is the 13th-most any Bears player has ever posted in their career. He ranks 24th on the NFL’s career receiving yards list.

They will have an uphill climb to join Devin Hester, Steve McMichael and Julius Peppers, former Bears who made the Hall this year. The most notable first-time nominees are former Giants quarterback Eli Manning, former Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, former Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, former Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs and former Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri.

Fifteen finalists from the modern-day group — plus three seniors, a coach and a contributor — will be chosen and presented to the 50-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Committee. The committee will whittle the modern-era list from 20 to 15 to 10 and then to seven. It will pick five inductees, with each needing at least 80% of the vote.

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