Best: Chicago Bears – Walter Payton
“Sweetness” spent 13 seasons in Chicago as one of the most prolific running backs the league has ever seen. When he retired, Payton held numerous NFL rushing records including the all-time rushing yards record. Equally important was Payton’s work off the field. He was renowned for his work in the communities he lived in, and the NFL’s Man of the Year Award now bears his name in honor of that.
Worst: Chicago Bears – Cade McNown
There’s no faulting the Bears for taking Cade McNown in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft. They needed a quarterback, and McNown was a consensus All-American and Heisman Trophy finalist. But he would not be a reincarnation of Jim McMahon. McNown would play just 25 games in Chicago throwing for 16 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Injuries and a lack of arm strength derailed his career and although he was on NFL rosters through the 2002 season, he never saw action in a game again.