Brian Urlacher
My lone concussion occurred in 2003 against Denver. I was spinning off block and right when I spun, I hit Clinton Portis with my head turned sideways. I hit him and I hit the ground. That was first big one where I was like 'Whoa.' Back then, it was no big deal.
I was a huge Brett Favre fan, because how could you not like him as a kid playing football? Then getting a chance to play against him was pretty damn cool.
Win or lose, I'm up all night. I've been that way since college - I'm going over everything in my head: woulda, coulda, shoulda.
In Arizona, there's mountains behind my house.
See, I was fine being bald, because I have a good-shaped head.
My whole career, I was pretty much bald. So, people just got to know me as being a bald guy.
I did wonder what it would be like if I could have hair.
I played defense, so I don't like when guys celebrate with dances and stuff.
You know who I like the way he celebrates is Peyton. He kind of gives the guy a handshake and goes back to the sidelines. I think that's a great celebration right there.
I'm a huge Ron Rivera fan, I played for Ron for three years in Chicago.
See I'm used to seeing myself with hair now, so it's not a big deal. Now when I see pictures of me bald I'm like 'ew.' But people are used to seeing me bald so when I'm walking around without the hat on, I see people doing a lot of double takes.
I've gotten a hundred pictures of guys making fun of me.
I've got so many things I can do now with my hair. I put gel in it sometimes - it's great.
If you don't want to play and get concussed, then don't play. It's your career, it's your life. You have to make that decision on your own.
Yeah, I mean there's points in every game where you get a hit and you feel a little woozy. Not every game, but mostly every game you hit someone and you're like, 'Whoa, that was a good one.'
I think they shouldn't allow cut blocks, because our knees are important to us, too. I know concussions are a big deal, too, but I think knee, cut blocks are a big deal, but that seems to be OK with the NFL. So they're not too concerned about safety, obviously.
A knee injury could put you out for a season. A concussion, you may miss a game or two. Huge difference.
Two of the people I don't care about: fans or media.
I know there are a lot of experts in the media - a bunch of smart guys out there who know exactly what they're talking about all the time. They don't know what they're talking about.
I want to be somewhere where somebody wants me.
I hope Mitch Trubisky is the best quarterback of all time.
There could probably be a penalty called on every single play. So the refs have a tough job.
As a football player, your mentality is that you're going to win the Super Bowl. You have to think that when you're playing the game.
I was honestly the No. 1 Cowboys fan as a kid.
When you change defenses, it's the same thing a lot of times. But different terminology means different things in that new defense. So you have to get accustomed to that. You have to study. Get in your books and pay attention.
When the play is over, it's over.
I don't give a crap about what fans or people say, they can kiss my butt.
You know, the Bears know I want to be here. I've said it publically and that's not going to change.
I wouldn't want to be a DB in the NFL. They've got no chance. There's no contact down the field, but fans want to see points.
We're defenseless, I know we play defense, but we're defenseless when we're not looking at the guy who's blocking us or when the guy's come out and cut out our knees from underneath us.
I know what being a star athlete means.
I'm hyper, goofy. I always have to be moving, doing something.
My mom is my heart.
I'm uncomfortable doing commercials.
First of all, we love football. We want to be on the football field as much as we can be. If we can be out there, it may be stupid, it may be dumb, call me dumb and stupid then, because that's what... I want to be on the football field.
As a player, I just want to be remembered as a good teammate, that's it.
Every moment, every practice, every game, everywhere; I just love competing. Competition is in my DNA.
I respected opponents as well as teammates and coaches.
I may be one of the most competitive people you ever know. I want to win every snap, every game, even though it was not possible... it really wasn't about the conquest, it was about the challenge.
I love the Bears.
I'm always going to be a Bears fan. Nothing's going to change there.
There are no hard feelings between me and the Bears' organization. I had a great run here.
I don't think I would be very good on TV broadcasting games.
There's no doubt in my mind I'll finish my career with the Bears. However that works out, it works out. I can't imagine playing anywhere else.
It doesn't change the way we play, I'll tell you that much. If we hit a guy and get fined, we get fined.
We used to establish the run and wear teams down and try not to make mistakes, and we'd rely on our defense to keep us in the game and make big plays to put us in position to win. Kyle Orton might not be the flashiest quarterback, but the guy is a winner, and that formula worked for us.
I don't care what's legal and what's not. I'm going to play the way I play.
I love Chicago. I love the big city. But, remember, I come from a town, Lovington, N.M., that only has 8,000 people.
I wondered if teams were going to find a place for me, but the Bears said linebacker right away. I tried outside linebacker first and I was terrible. Then inside seemed to fit me.
Our goal is to outplay the other team's defense every game - it doesn't matter who we're playing.