Richard Dent is the best pass rusher in Chicago Bears history. That much is proven by the stats with 137.5 sacks in his career. Doug Atkins deserves consideration for the honor but he doesn’t have the official numbers to back up the claim. Dent also has a ring and a Super Bowl MVP award. He is a Hall of Famer and one of the best to ever put on navy blue and orange. What’s so amazing is how his career began.
Dent was a nobody when the 1983 draft rolled around. He was a nondescript kid from tiny Tennessee State. He had quickness that teams liked but they were concerned about his size. Dent had the length but his overall body was on the thinner side, making many wonder if he could handle the rigors of the NFL. This is what led to him falling all the way to the 8th round before the Bears finally scooped him up.
It was then they may a minor discovery about why Dent may have had such a weight issue. Will Larkin of the Chicago Tribune revealed it in his 100 Greatest Bears series, highlighting the defensive end at #14.
“Bears scout Bill Tobin saw potential in him and argued for the team to take him as early as the third round in the 1983 draft. General manager Jim Finks wasn’t high on Dent but allowed Tobin to have him in the eighth round.
The Bears noticed Dent’s bad teeth and paid to straighten them. It always had hurt him to eat, and once his teeth were fixed, he quickly gained 30 pounds and became a different player.”
Richard Dent is further proof that even minor changes matter
Life decisions are never easy. They can have such a profound impact on the future, both short and long-term. Even the minor ones can do this. Dent is proof of it. Would anybody have thought before the draft that year that the reason he was so thin was because of a persistent tooth problem? It’s amazing how such a seemingly innocuous discovery helped transform a late-round flier into one of the 10 greatest pass rushers in NFL history.
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This should help fans to understand why GMs and scouts are so incredibly thorough in their evaluations of every college prospect right down to their personal lives. There is no telling what they might find that could make or break a potential draft pick. Ryan Pace saw a potential superstar in Eddie Jackson but teams were wary of him because he had the bad luck to break his leg the previous year. Tarik Cohen was obviously a playmaker but he was a bit short.
It’s all about weighing the pros and cons. The Bears felt Dent had the potential to be a good player. They just had to figure out how to correct his weight problem. This led to the teeth discovery. It’s amazing how such a simple discovery can alter the fortunes of both player and team.
