David Haugh: Brian Urlacher gets his just due with Hall of Fame honor

To understand the drive that made Brian Urlacher elite, go back to 2004 when the Sporting News named the Bears middle linebacker the NFL's most overrated player after he had made the Pro Bowl his first four seasons.

"That pissed me off, and the next year what happened? I was NFL defensive player of the year," Urlacher recalled recently. "I think I was vindicated."

Lifetime validation came Saturday for the Bears' best player since Walter Payton when the game bestowed its highest honor on Urlacher, electing him to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The eight-member 2018 class, announced at the NFL Honors event, will be enshrined in August