It started last week, when Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones, appearing on NFL Network's Total Access, was asked to name his top-10 linebackers. Not only did Jones rank himself seventh, ahead of the Bears' Lance Briggs (eighth), he omitted Brian Urlacher altogether. When asked about slighting Urlacher, Jones said, "When was the last time Brian Urlacher got off a block?"
So naturally, with absolutely nothing else going on in the middle of June, this became big news. On Thursday morning, Urlacher finally got around to responding to Jones.
Appearing on ESPN 1000, Urlacher got right to the point:
"I think we were drafted in the same class, right? Is he a 2000 guy? I haven't heard anything about him since then. I saw him on a TV show with a bow-tie on though. So I know him better for how the way he dresses than what he does on a football field. Guys are going to talk. I've definitely had a lot worse things said publicly from guys, so I can live with it."
Urlacher's right: Jones was the Giants' sixth-round pick in 2000. Looking at career totals, Urlacher has more tackles (802 to 628), sacks (41.5 to 9.5), passes defended (64 to 39), interceptions (18 to 5), and forced fumbles (10 to 6). Then there are the seven Pro Bowl appearances, four first-team All-Pro selections, and a place on the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team.
Jones' next NFL award will be his first. But he was a three-time All-Big Ten player at Michigan, so there's that. And, of course, he has the bow ties.
