Lance Briggs

Lance Marell Briggs, born on November 12, 1980, in Los Angeles, California, established a distinguished career as an American professional football player. A native of Sacramento, California, Briggs attended Elk Grove High School before playing college football for the Arizona Wildcats. During his collegiate career from 1999 to 2002, he was a three-time first-team All-Pac-10 Conference selection as a linebacker, accumulating 308 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and 16 interceptions over 33 games. His consistent performance at the University of Arizona laid the groundwork for his professional journey.

Briggs was selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round (68th overall) of the 2003 NFL draft. He spent his entire 12-year professional career with the Bears, where he became a seven-time Pro Bowl selection. Briggs was a key component of the Bears’ defense, particularly noted for his partnership with fellow linebacker Brian Urlacher, forming one of the most dominant defensive duos in NFL history. His career with the Bears included a Super Bowl XLI appearance and numerous individual accolades, including two First-team All-Pro selections in 2005 and 2006, and a Second-team All-Pro selection in 2009. He concluded his career with 1,181 total tackles, 15 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, and 16 interceptions, with 6 defensive touchdowns.

Following his retirement from the NFL in 2015, Briggs transitioned into media, becoming a Bears analyst for NBC Sports Chicago’s “Football Aftershow,” a role he continues to hold. In this capacity, he provides commentary and analysis alongside other former players. Additionally, Briggs has explored creative endeavors, co-creating a science fiction graphic novel titled “The Trap,” which was launched via Kickstarter in 2020. These post-playing career activities demonstrate his continued engagement with sports and an expansion into other professional interests.