Defensive end Richard Dent #95 of the Chicago Bears stretches during game in November of 1987 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
This NFL Hall of Fame spotlight focuses on one of the greatest pass rushers in football history—defensive end Richard Dent. Dent left a huge mark in the league, especially as a Chicago Bears player. It is impossible to list the 10 greatest Bears players of all time without mentioning Dent. His insane ability to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks will forever be remembered.
Speaking of remembrance, in this article, we’ll highlight what made Dent incredibly special.
A Legend in the Making
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Dent attended high school at J.C. Murphy. John Merritt, the head football coach at Tennessee State, and his assistant did everything they could to bring Dent to Tennessee State.
They figured that Dent grew up in a religious home, so opening the Bible was the perfect bait—and it worked. While at university, Dent rewarded his coaches’ scouting efforts, lettering in football every year.
The Bears left it as late as the eighth round before selecting Dent in the 1983 NFL Draft.
Professional Football Career
As an eighth-round pick, no one expected Dent to work wonders in the NFL. Although Bears scout Bill Tobin put the second-round grade on Dent, the Bears felt they had other more pressing needs. But the minute Dent stepped onto the field, they knew they had signed a star.
Skinny in the Eyes But a Beast on the Field
One problem that probably kept Dent off every team’s radar in the drafts was his size. He was underweight and as a defensive lineman, that was a valid turn-off. But Dent’s in-game performance defied the story the scales told.
His speed, agility, and relentless pass-rushing technique completely made up for his weight deficiency. The Bears, immediately realizing that Dent was a gem to their defense, featured him in all 16 games in his rookie season. The minor weight problem was out of sight in no time.
By Dent’s second season, he had become a regular starter at right end. The rewards were instant for the Bears. Dent led the NFC in sacks with a then-team single season record of 17.5 sacks. That season, he also led the league in forced fumbles.
Super Bowl Champion
The 1985 season was another incredible year for Dent. He had become an integral part of the Bears’ aggressive 46 defense. Without an excellent pass rusher like Dent, that defensive formation would have been dead on arrival. Dent started all the games in 1985 and it’s no wonder why. His ability to get around offensive linemen was impressive. His strong defensive presence contributed to making the Bears’ defense of that year—and the entire decade—very much feared.
Dent helped the Bears finish the regular season with a near-perfect 15-1 record. In the playoffs, they recorded two shutouts. They completely whitewashed the New York Giants in the divisional playoffs 21-0. The Los Angeles Rams were next to receive their not-so-fair share of the lashing. They fell to an embarrassing 24-0 to the dominant Dent-led Bears defense. In Super Bowl XX, the New England Patriots were tamed beyond their imagination. In that game, Dent posted 1.5 quarterback sacks, forced two fumbles, and blocked a pass. Deservedly, he was named the Super Bowl MVP.
After he joined the San Francisco 49ers in 1994, they went on to win the Super Bowl XXIX with Steve Young emerging as MVP. However, Dent didn’t play in the game as he was injured for most of the season.
Ten Years of Consistency
Dent’s first stint at Chicago put the seal on his legendary status. He recorded a remarkable 10-year period from 1984 to 1993. During these years, he achieved 10 or more sacks eight times. He fell one sack short in 1989 and recorded 8.5 sacks in 1992.
In 1985, he led the NFL sack leaderboard with 17.0 sacks. This further cemented his reputation as a ferocious sackman. He had become a specialist at it.
Dent said it best in his verse on the Super Bowl shuffle, “The sackman’s comin’, I’m your man Dent. If the quarterback’s slow. He’s gonna get bent. We stop the run, we stop the pass.”
Fellow Hall of Famer, Bruce Smith couldn’t hide his love for Dent’s technique. The Buffalo Bills legend said, “He had this certifiably great move where he could get off the tackle with a bull rush, sort of post-up, then drop his hips and go around the guy.” Smith called the genius move “The Swoop,” explaining that no one could run around players the way Dent did.
Drawing of the Curtains
After an incredible 11 years at Chicago, Dent welcomed life in San Francisco before moving back to the Bears in 1995. But the successes they achieved in 1985 were difficult to replicate without a consistent quarterback—a shortcoming Dent held against head coach Mike Ditka.
This frustration was a pure reflection of Dent’s passion for success. He always wanted to see the team winning, regardless of whether he was in the spotlight or not.
Dent was the kind of player who focused on doing his job, even if it meant going unnoticed. In his mind, as long as the team came out on top, he felt like a winner.
Dent suited up for the Indianapolis Colts in his penultimate season before closing his career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997. By the time he retired, his 137.5 career sacks ranked third on the all-time leaderboard.
Career Achievements
Dent earned several honors during his playing days. Perhaps, the best of them was winning a Super Bowl MVP. As a skilled worker in forcing fumbles, he led the league in forced fumbles in 1984 and 1985.
He was the league’s sack leader in 1985—the same year he earned a First-team All-Pro. He made Second-team All-Pro three times in his career. The four-time Pro Bowler is among the 100 greatest Bears of all time.
Dent was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
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