Surgery for Urlacher

[GrnBay007]

CHICAGO (AP) - Bears star linebacker Brian Urlacher underwent minor neck surgery recently and is expected to be fully recovered when training camp starts in July.

He acknowledged during the season that an arthritic back condition forced him at times to play in pain. The neck surgery was first reported by the Chicago Tribune. The Bears declined to comment Friday.

Urlacher did not make the Pro Bowl this season, when the Bears fell to 7-9 a year after making the Super Bowl. He led the team with 123 tackles and had five sacks and five interceptions. He had been chosen for the Pro Bowl six times previously.

Urlacher, who will be 30 in May, signed a nine-year contract with the Bears in 2003. He's been durable most of his career, except for the 2004 season when he missed seven games with leg and hamstring injuries.

[b bulldog]

Big time snub imo. He is an awesome LB who makes plays year in and year out.

[Lurker64]

Big time snub imo. He is an awesome LB who makes plays year in and year out.

This year he was not the player he has been in the past though. He was clearly playing through injury and it slowed him up noticeably. That combined with the numerous injuries on the Bears DL kept him largely in check. Tatupu definitely deserved to go instead of Urlacher this year.

[4and12to12and4]

I might be wrong, and am too lazy to check, but I don't think he had 5 interceptions, i thought he had 1.

[b bulldog]

I think 5 is correct, I think he picked brett twice and I still think Urlacker should have gone.l

[4and12to12and4]

holy shit, according to nfl.com he did have 5 picks. is that possible. thats unreal for a backer. i still cant believe it. if he had 5 pics, 5 sacks, and 123 tackles and didnt make the probowl, that is ridiculous.

[twoseven]

Who beat him out for the nod, and what were his stats before we call foul?

[Patler]

Urlacher had four of his five interceptions in his last five games. He had 6 of his 12 passes defensed in his last 5 games. His play improved dramatically the last third of the season. Early in the season he struggled with back problems, and was not playing real well.

Much like Mario Williams, who also accumulated most of his stats late in the season, it was too late for Pro-Bowl consideration, although Williams got in as an alternate.

[4and12to12and4]

Urlacher had four of his five interceptions in his last five games. He had 6 of his 12 passes defensed in his last 5 games. His play improved dramatically the last third of the season. Early in the season he struggled with back problems, and was not playing real well.

Much like Mario Williams, who also accumulated most of his stats late in the season, it was too late for Pro-Bowl consideration, although Williams got in as an alternate.

Strange that arthritis would affect him more at the beginning of the season then the end. Does that even make sense? I would think the end of the season would be when he was affected, or does working the muscles help it? Maybe it was just coincidence, right place at the right time thing. Obviously Brett helped. He could've picked the one in the cold in a wheelchair.