How Lance Briggs became a defensive anchor and a comic book creator
In short: Lance Briggs spent 12 years as a cornerstone of the Chicago Bears defense, forming a legendary linebacker tandem with Brian Urlacher. Yet, his career was defined by more than just tackles; it was marked by high-stakes contract disputes, a dramatic car crash, and a post-football pivot into graphic novel creation.
Born in Sacramento in 1980, Lance Briggs emerged as a standout linebacker at the University of Arizona before the Chicago Bears drafted him in the third round of the 2003 NFL draft. Over his 12-year tenure in Chicago, he became a seven-time Pro Bowl selection. His partnership with Brian Urlacher is widely considered one of the most formidable linebacker duos in the history of the league, anchoring a defense that famously reached Super Bowl XLI in 2006.
Briggs’s career was frequently punctuated by friction over compensation. In 2007, he famously threatened to sit out the entire season after the Bears placed a franchise tag on him, though he ultimately played and earned his third Pro Bowl nod. Later, in 2011, he and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, formally requested a trade after seeking a raise. Despite these tensions, he remained a consistent producer, recording a career-high 134 tackles during the 2006 season and 140 tackles in 2007.
Beyond the gridiron, Briggs’s life has been unconventional. In 2007, he made headlines for crashing his Lamborghini and initially reporting it stolen, leading to legal charges. Since retiring in 2015, he has transitioned into media, serving as an analyst for NBC Sports Chicago. Perhaps most surprisingly, he has leaned into his lifelong passion for comic books, co-creating the science fiction graphic novel The Trap, which was funded on Kickstarter in 2020.
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