Much like quarterbacks are the field generals and beating hearts of a football team’s offense, middle linebackers are very much the quarterbacks and heart and soul of a defense. From their position in the center of the defensive formation, they are often at the center of the action, whether it be swooping in for a tackle, rushing after the quarterback, or dropping back in coverage. In the 21st century, two of the outstanding linebackers of this generation have been Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens and Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears, who were both centerpieces of dominating defensive teams. Given their overlapping careers and subsequent elections into the Hall of Fame, it is natural to compare the two players and ask:
Who was better – Ray Lewis or Brian Urlacher?
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