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      Bill George helped pioneer the position of middle linebacker.

      Courtesy of MEARSonlineauctions.com

Although other teams began employing a similar defensive alignment shortly thereafter, George remained the standard-bearer at the middle linebacker position for years to come, earning First-Team All-Pro honors in each of the next seven seasons. Blessed with good size and strength, outstanding mobility, and the ability to read opposing offenses and make quick decisions, the 6'2", 237-pound George emerged as one of the league’s premier players, with only Detroit’s Joe Schmidt and New York’s Sam Huff rivaling him as middle linebackers during that era. In discussing the many outstanding qualities that George possessed, Bears defensive coordinator Clark Shaughnessy said, “He is a rare physical specimen, both from the standpoint of power and agility. He’s absolutely fearless on the field. He has a brilliant mind, an ability to size up a situation quickly and react to it, and, also, the ability to retain the complicated details of his job.”

      An extremely intelligent player, George became Shaughnessy’s greatest pupil, developing such a complete understanding of defensive strategy that he eventually assumed responsibility for calling all the signals on that side of the ball. George also possessed a nasty on-field disposition, with Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated calling him “the meanest Bear ever” many years later.

      After performing at an extremely high level for nearly a decade, George suffered severe neck injuries in an automobile accident following the conclusion of the 1961 campaign. Yet, even though he entered the 1962 season at somewhat less than 100 percent, George played well enough to lead the Bears to a record of 9-5 that represented their best mark in six years. Returning to top form the following year, George earned All-Pro honors for the eighth and final time in his career, with his exceptional play helping the Bears capture the NFL championship.

George, who missed just one game his first 12 years in the league, subsequently sustained severe knee damage during a 24–10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on November 1, 1964, forcing him to sit out the season’s final six contests. With Dick Butkus arriving in Chicago the following year, George assumed a backup role, appearing in only two games in 1965, before being released by the Bears at season’s end. In his 14 years in the Windy City, George recorded 18 interceptions, amassed 144 interception-return yards, recovered 17 fumbles, and scored 26 points as a part-time kicker, successfully converting four of eight field goal attempts and 14 of 15 extra-point attempts.

      After being released by the Bears, George signed with the Los Angeles Rams, for whom he started in 1966, before announcing his retirement at season’s end. Returning to Chicago following his retirement, George spent three years serving as a member of Abe Gibron’s coaching staff, before leaving the game for good when Gibron received his walking papers following the conclusion of the 1974 campaign. Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame that same year, George received the following words of praise from Gibron at his induction ceremony: “Bill George was the first great middle linebacker. He brought all the romance and charisma to the position. He was like having Clark Shaughnessy on the field. He called all the plays and had a special knack for it.”

      Unfortunately, George passed away just eight years later, dying tragically in a three-car automobile accident at only 52 years of age, on September 30, 1982. Upon learning of his passing, former Bears teammate Johnny Morris called him “the first classic middle linebacker” and said, “He was

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