Hey Bears fans, gather ’round—something just surfaced that’s got the entire fanbase buzzing. Someone laid out what they believe is the true Chicago Bears Mount Rushmore. You saw the headline: “BREAKING: NEWS hey bears fans look at this Is this the true Bears Mount Rushmore”—and now you’re asking the question: does this lineup actually represent the four greatest icons in franchise history?
That’s a monumental discussion—especially for the Bears, whose century-plus legacy stretches from the roaring 1920s to modern-day challenges. It’s impossible to fit the franchise into four statues—there’s Halas, Sayers, Payton, Ditka, Urlacher, Butkus, Luckman, and more—but this list attempts it anyway. So, let’s dig deep.
The names most commonly proposed in recent years: George “Papa Bear” Halas, Walter “Sweetness” Payton, Dick Butkus, and either Gale Sayers or Mike Ditka. That quartet keeps popping up in debates and articles—and some nontraditional candidates enter the fray too. Let’s unpack the case for each.
First off, any Bears Mount Rushmore worth its granite has to include George Halas. As the founder, owner, coach, and key architect of the NFL itself, “Papa Bear” isn’t just a Bears legend—he’s football royalty. He led the team to six championships, coached for over 40 seasons, and pioneered pro football as a national sport ( On Reddit, one fan put it bluntly: “Anyone who doesn’t include Halas is a heathen” (R. From the franchise’s birth and early dominance to molding its identity, Halas is foundational—no two ways about it.
Next, you can’t say Bears without thinking of Walter Payton. Sweetness redefined the running back position with heart, versatility, and durability. He retired as the all-time leading rusher, collected an MVP award, ran for 1,200+ yards in ten of 13 seasons, and remains one of the most beloved players in NFL history (. The NBC Sports Chicago panel ranked Payton first on their Mt. Rushmore (. In Reddit threads, fans continuously demand his inclusion: “Sweetness… non-negotiable” (
For the third face, Dick Butkus is a frequent selection. The Rockford-born linebacker is arguably the most feared middle linebacker of all time—twice Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time Pro Bowler, and still a benchmark for the position with his sheer ferocity Fox News pipes in: “viewed as the gold standard by which other middle linebackers are measured”. Reddit debates thrive on whether Butkus or Urlacher belongs, but nearly everyone nods to Butkus’s spot (
Now, the fourth position is where the debate ignites. Is it Gale Sayers or Mike Ditka? Or, in some cases, Brian Urlacher? Let’s break it down.
Gale Sayers—the “Kansas Comet”—must be in the running. His career may have spanned just five seasons, but they were legendary: rookie of the year, All‑Pros, 22 touchdowns in his first season, and an unforgettable comeback story (. One compelling argument from a Redditor: “Red Grange… Sayers… Ditka… Payton… Halas” (). And on the philosophical “birth→growth→development→preservation” framework, Sayers fits beautifully . NBC’s Pro Football Talk faced flak for picking Sayers over Ditka, but stood firm—calling him “the iconic name” of that era (. He’s that special.
On the flip side, Mike Ditka brings an unmatched dual legacy: one of the greatest tight ends ever and coach of the ferocious ‘85 championship team. Ditka “developed” the passing tight end and later coached the Bears to their only Super Bowl win since 1963 (. Reddit nostalgia for Ditka runs deep: “Most people favor Ditka for his coaching than his time as a player, but… he really wasn’t that good of a coach… but I don’t hate having him on a Bears Mt Rushmore tbh” ). There’s tangible weight to including someone who shaped the modern era on both sides of the ball.
Then there’s Brian Urlacher, a bridge between eras. In the 2000s he was the singular force on defense—ten Pro Bowls, Defensive Player of the Year, Hall of Famer ( He anchors the more recent golden era of Bears defense. Some Reddit users contest that Urlacher eclipses Singletary or Ditka for the modern lineup (. Bleacher Report’s 2000–present Mt. Rushmore included Urlacher—alongside Briggs, Hester, and Tillman—emphasizing his recent dominance
Add in Red Grange and Sid Luckman, two pillars of the very early years. Grange’s barnstorming tour turned pro football into a spectacle. Luckman mastered the T-formation, led the Bears to four championships, and laid groundwork for the modern QB position . But including them means sacrificing space for someone like Payton or Butkus—tough call.
Windy City Gridiron asked fans directly and many landed on Halas, Payton, Butkus, and Ditka, reasoning that Ditka’s dual impact made him essential (. Meanwhile, those defending Sayers argue that his brilliance, despite a brief career, was so profound he deserves the spot over Ditka (.
Fox News provided a traditional-but-powerful rookie: Halas, Payton, Sayers, Singletary . Meanwhile PFT’s official list offered Halas, Payton, Butkus, Sayers (
The crossroads: personality vs. position legacy vs. holistic impact.
Does Ditka’s transformation of the tight end role and his Super Bowl run as coach outweigh Sayers’s pure athletic artistry and resilience? Can Urlacher’s modern dominance and Jersey badge overtake someone like Sayers or Ditka? The debate is unending—and emotional.
One fan on r/CHIBears neatly summarizes the tug-of-war:“Papa Bear George Halas… Red Grange… Mike Ditka… Walter Payton…”
Another offered a frame by echoing Mount Rushmore categories—birth, growth, development, preservation—and placeDitkaamong Senators, Sayers among revolutionaries
Still others champion the retriever:“I’d pick four different angles of Jay Cutler.”
Haha… but really, fans want QB representation; and in lack of a franchise QB since the war, Sid Luckman often becomes the forgotten face
Let’s be clear: any four-name list oversimplifies the Bears’ tapestry. Over 100+ years, the franchise spawned dozens of Hall of Famers—Hampton, Dent, Marshall, Tillman, Forte—you can’t fit them all.
So, the list burning up message boards right now—Halas, Payton, Butkus, Sayers/Ditka—isn’t just random. It reflects consensus across decades of debate and fan passion ). Fox, NBC, PFT and Reddit weigh in—each with slight variations but always circling those same big four.
If we treat this as a serious proposal: “Is this the true Bears Mount Rushmore?”—my answer is: it’s a well-argued and defensible iteration, but it’s not definitive. Because fans will always quibble over the fourth face. And maybe the third or second, if they lean Ditka over Sayers, or include Urlacher in place of Butkus. And there’s room to justify other angles—Red Grange for pioneering pro football’s growth, or Luckman for quarterback innovation.
That’s the beauty of this debate—it’s not answerable, and it shouldn’t be. The best Mount Rushmore isn’t the official one—it’s the one that sparks endless conversation, unlocks memories, and makes fans debate across generations. If today’s list gets you fired up, congratulation—it’s working.
So will this lineup stand the test of time? Does it balance eras, positions and impact fairly? It does well—but some fans will still paint their rockface with Halas, Payton, Butkus, Urlacher—or swap Butkus out for Ditka, or mix in Sayers. All are valid.
What matters is what resonates with you, the fans today. Maybe you value the fierce hard hitting of Butkus, or the unstoppable brilliance of Sayers. Maybe Ditka’s charisma and championship aura is your cornerstone. Or maybe you want Urlacher’s 21st-century dominance remembered in stone.
In the end, yes—this lineup is a strong candidate for the “true” Bears Mount Rushmore. But calling it the true one ends debate, and that would betray the franchise’s greatest quality: the ability to spark passion, argument, camaraderie, and love for the game.
So where do you stand? Think about the impact, legacy, era, position, personality. Do you lean Halas–Payton–Butkus–Sayers? Or does Ditka’s dual legacy get the nod? Maybe 2000s defense—and Urlacher—sneak in. Drop your four names, dig into the reasons, and join the next century of Bears debates.
Here’s to the never‑ending roar of Monsters of the Midway passion.
