Dan Hampton

Dan Hampton is a retired football defensive tackle renowned for his 12-season career with the Chicago Bears in the National Football League (NFL).

At the age of 12, Hampton fell 30 feet from a tree, resulting in multiple fractures and six months in a wheelchair. This incident delayed his participation in organized sports until high school. Overcoming this challenge, Hampton attended the University of Arkansas, where he was a four-year letterman at defensive tackle. Under Coach Frank Broyles, he earned recognition as a First-team All-American and was named the Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1978.

Selected by the Chicago Bears as the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 1979 NFL Draft, Hampton quickly became a cornerstone of the Bears' formidable defense. His versatility allowed him to excel at both defensive tackle and defensive end positions. Despite battling injuries, he recorded 57 sacks, 10 fumble recoveries, and one safety over his career.

Throughout his career, Hampton earned a host of accolades, including a Super Bowl championship, four Pro Bowl selections, multiple First- and Second-Team All-Pro honors, and a coveted spot on the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team.

Post-retirement, Hampton transitioned into broadcasting, hosting the Bears' postgame show on WGN Radio in Chicago. His contributions to the sport were immortalized with his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002 and his selected to the 2024 National Football Foundation (NFF) Hall of Fame Class.