NFL players from Chicago, Illinois
112 NFL players on file were born in Chicago, Illinois. 11 are on NFL rosters now, among them Greg Newsome II, Laken Tomlinson, and Bucky Irving. Jeff Zgonina leads them with 217 career games played. Rosters are on file in full from 1993; before that only some of the stars are.
On NFL rosters now (11)
| Player | Pos | Years | Seasons | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greg Newsome IINYG | CB | 2021–2026 | 6 | 78 GP · 238 tackles, 1 sacks |
| Laken TomlinsonGB | G | 2015–2025 | 5 | 74 GP · 7 tackles |
| Bucky IrvingTB | RB | 2024–2026 | 3 | 36 GP · 2,535 rush yds |
| Dallis FlowersCHI | CB | 2022–2025 | 4 | 22 GP · 39 tackles |
| C.J. WestSF | DT | 2025–2026 | 2 | 16 GP · 26 tackles, 1 sacks |
| Carnell TateTEN | WR | 2026 | 1 | 7 GP · 413 rec yds |
| George Gumbs Jr.IND | LB | 2026 | 1 | 5 GP · 3 tackles |
| Rodney McGrawMIA | DE | 2026 | 1 | 5 GP · 8 tackles |
| Lewis BondHOU | WR | 2026 | 1 | 2 GP · 0 pass yds |
| Enrique Cruz Jr.SF | OT | No games yet | — | — |
| Will PaulingSF | WR | No games yet | — | — |
Former NFL players (101)
| Player | Pos | Years | Seasons | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff Zgonina | DT | 1993–2009 | 16 | 217 GP · 445 tackles, 26 sacks |
| Shannon Sharpe | TE | 1990–2003 | 14 | 204 GP · 10,060 rec yds |
| Mike Tomczak | QB | 1985–1999 | 15 | 185 GP · 16,079 pass yds |
| Greg Kragen | DT | 1985–1997 | 12 | 184 GP · 206 tackles, 28.5 sacks |
| Ray Buchanan | FS | 1993–2004 | 12 | 184 GP · 799 tackles, 3.5 sacks |
| Renaldo Wynn | DE | 1997–2009 | 13 | 182 GP · 345 tackles, 27 sacks |
| Simeon Rice | DE | 1996–2007 | 12 | 174 GP · 470 tackles, 122 sacks |
| Charles Tillman | CB | 2003–2015 | 13 | 168 GP · 912 tackles, 3 sacks |
| Donovan McNabb | QB | 1999–2011 | 13 | 167 GP · 37,276 pass yds |
| Steve Atwater | FS | 1989–1999 | 11 | 167 GP · 519 tackles, 5 sacks |
| Raylee Johnson | DE | 1993–2004 | 11 | 159 GP · 231 tackles, 47 sacks |
| Chris Calloway | WR | 1990–2000 | 11 | 158 GP · 5,497 rec yds |
| Russell Maryland | DT | 1991–2000 | 10 | 154 GP · 371 tackles, 24.5 sacks |
| Jason Avant | WR | 2006–2015 | 10 | 148 GP · 4,118 rec yds |
| Toi Cook | DB | 1987–1997 | 11 | 143 GP · 122 tackles, 9 sacks |
| Brendon Ayanbadejo | LB | 2003–2012 | 10 | 142 GP · 252 tackles, 4.5 sacks |
| David Diehl | OG | 2003–2011 | 9 | 140 GP · 18 tackles |
| Oliver Gibson | DT | 1995–2003 | 9 | 133 GP · 243 tackles, 17.5 sacks |
| Nolan Harrison | DE | 1991–2000 | 10 | 128 GP · 173 tackles, 22 sacks |
| Mark Jackson | WR | 1986–1994 | 9 | 128 GP · 5,551 rec yds |
| Howard Griffith | RB | 1993–2000 | 8 | 121 GP · 844 rec yds |
| Corwin Brown | SS | 1993–2000 | 8 | 120 GP · 192 tackles, 0.5 sacks |
| Flozell Adams | OT | 1999–2010 | 8 | 118 GP · 8 tackles |
| Greg Lewis | WR | 2003–2010 | 8 | 116 GP · 1,992 rec yds |
| Sterling Sharpe | WR | 1988–1994 | 7 | 112 GP · 8,134 rec yds |
| Shaun O'Hara | C | 2001–2010 | 9 | 111 GP · 16 tackles |
| Pierre Thomas | RB | 2007–2015 | 9 | 109 GP · 3,809 rush yds |
| Kelvin Hayden | DB | 2005–2012 | 8 | 101 GP · 359 tackles |
| Napoleon Harris | LB | 2002–2008 | 7 | 100 GP · 481 tackles, 8.5 sacks |
| Bill Johnson | DT | 1992–1999 | 8 | 99 GP · 215 tackles, 12.5 sacks |
| Hannibal Navies | LB | 1999–2007 | 9 | 96 GP · 244 tackles, 4.5 sacks |
| Fred Evans | DT | 2006–2013 | 8 | 95 GP · 99 tackles, 3 sacks |
| Reggie Hayward | DE | 2001–2009 | 8 | 91 GP · 174 tackles, 39.5 sacks |
| Nate Wayne | LB | 1999–2005 | 7 | 89 GP · 438 tackles, 16 sacks |
| Mark Higgs | RB | 1988–1995 | 8 | 85 GP · 2,959 rush yds |
| Pat O'Connor | DE | 2019–2025 | 7 | 85 GP · 52 tackles, 2.5 sacks |
| Quincy Black | LB | 2007–2012 | 6 | 81 GP · 283 tackles, 3.5 sacks |
| Joe Mays | LB | 2009–2015 | 7 | 76 GP · 246 tackles, 1.5 sacks |
| Ephraim Salaam | OT | 2001–2007 | 5 | 76 GP · 5 tackles |
| Kenny Golladay | WR | 2017–2022 | 6 | 73 GP · 3,670 rec yds |
| Chris Zorich | DT | 1992–1997 | 5 | 72 GP · 211 tackles, 16.5 sacks |
| Marquice Cole | DB | 2009–2013 | 5 | 64 GP · 72 tackles |
| Corey Mays | LB | 2006–2010 | 5 | 62 GP · 132 tackles |
| Cecil Martin | RB | 1999–2002 | 4 | 60 GP · 491 rec yds |
| Jason Williams | LB | 2009–2014 | 6 | 58 GP · 64 tackles |
| Johnnie Harris | SS | 1999–2003 | 5 | 58 GP · 142 tackles, 0.5 sacks |
| Chris Watson | DB | 1999–2002 | 4 | 58 GP · 104 tackles |
| Johnny Mitchell | TE | 1992–1996 | 5 | 57 GP · 2,103 rec yds |
| Frank Hartley | TE | 1994–1998 | 4 | 57 GP · 424 rec yds |
| Zeron Flemister | TE | 2000–2005 | 5 | 55 GP · 439 rec yds |
| Corbin Bryant | DT | 2013–2016 | 4 | 55 GP · 84 tackles, 2.5 sacks |
| Cory Harkey | TE | 2012–2015 | 4 | 52 GP · 215 rec yds |
| Kenny Onatolu | LB | 2009–2012 | 4 | 52 GP · 49 tackles |
| Garrett Wolfe | RB | 2007–2010 | 4 | 50 GP · 282 rush yds |
| Matt Cushing | TE | 1999–2004 | 5 | 49 GP · 3 tackles |
| Nate Palmer | LB | 2013–2017 | 4 | 48 GP · 108 tackles, 1 sacks |
| Sean McGrath | TE | 2013–2017 | 3 | 47 GP · 373 rec yds |
| Chris Hinton | OG | 1988–1993 | 3 | 46 GP · 0 pass yds |
| Marcus McNeill | OT | 2007–2009 | 3 | 46 GP · 3 tackles |
| Bobby Wilson | DT | 1991–1994 | 4 | 42 GP · 60 tackles, 11 sacks |
| Kerwin Waldroup | DE | 1996–1998 | 3 | 40 GP · 115 tackles, 5 sacks |
| Kraig Urbik | C | 2010–2013 | 3 | 39 GP · 4 tackles |
| Mel Agee | DT | 1993–1995 | 3 | 37 GP · 59 tackles, 2.5 sacks |
| Frisman Jackson | WR | 2002–2005 | 4 | 34 GP · 490 rec yds |
| Darrell Hill | WR | 2002–2004 | 3 | 33 GP · 24 tackles |
| Martez Wilson | DE | 2011–2013 | 3 | 33 GP · 33 tackles, 5 sacks |
| Tony Smith | RB | 1992–1994 | 3 | 33 GP · 329 rush yds |
| Jeff Allen | G | 2012–2013 | 2 | 31 GP · 3 tackles |
| Ahmad Merritt | WR | 2001–2003 | 3 | 29 GP · 170 rec yds |
| Jason Jefferson | DT | 2006–2008 | 3 | 28 GP · 25 tackles |
| Nate Turner | TE | 1993–1995 | 3 | 26 GP · 2 tackles |
| Lamar McGriggs | DB | 1993–1994 | 2 | 25 GP · 40 tackles |
| Zach Moore | DE | 2014–2018 | 2 | 24 GP · 17 tackles, 4 sacks |
| Robert Hughes | FB | 2012–2014 | 3 | 22 GP · 149 rec yds |
| Justin Staples | LB | 2014–2016 | 3 | 21 GP · 9 tackles |
| Michael Buchanan | DE | 2013–2014 | 2 | 18 GP · 11 tackles, 2 sacks |
| Steve Conley | LB | 1997–1998 | 2 | 18 GP · 9 tackles, 4 sacks |
| Glenn Foster | DE | 2013–2014 | 2 | 17 GP · 8 tackles, 3 sacks |
| Robert Jones | G | 2024 | 1 | 17 GP · 0 pass yds |
| Paul McJulien | P | 1991–1993 | 3 | 16 GP · 0 pass yds |
| Steve Edwards | OT | 2004 | 1 | 15 GP · 1 tackles |
| Michael Blair | RB | 1998 | 1 | 13 GP · 2 tackles |
| Tim McGarigle | LB | 2007 | 1 | 12 GP · 6 tackles |
| Winfield Garnett | DT | 2001 | 1 | 12 GP · 19 tackles, 2 sacks |
| Darius Fleming | LB | 2014–2015 | 2 | 11 GP · 10 tackles |
| Dwayne Goodrich | DB | 2000–2002 | 2 | 11 GP · 8 tackles |
| Jermaine Hampton | DB | 2001 | 1 | 10 GP · 9 tackles |
| Dante Ridgeway | WR | 2005 | 1 | 8 GP · 26 rec yds |
| Darnell McDonald | WR | 1999 | 1 | 8 GP · 1 tackles |
| D.J. Johnson | DB | 2005 | 1 | 8 GP · 3 tackles |
| Matt Conrath | DE | 2013 | 1 | 8 GP · 7 tackles, 1 sacks |
| Cyron Brown | DT | 1999 | 1 | 7 GP · 4 tackles |
| Harold Blackmon | DB | 2002 | 1 | 7 GP · 3 tackles |
| Jeris Pendleton | DT | 2012–2013 | 2 | 5 GP · 3 tackles |
| Dave Stachelski | TE | 2001 | 1 | 5 GP · 5 rec yds |
| Pete Shufelt | LB | 1994 | 1 | 5 GP · 1 tackles |
| Mike Kafka | QB | 2011 | 1 | 4 GP · 107 pass yds |
| Richard Buchanan | WR | 1993–1994 | 2 | 3 GP · 60 rec yds |
| Jason Burns | RB | 1995 | 1 | 1 GP · 1 rush yds |
| Xazavian Valladay | RB | 2023 | 1 | 1 GP · 0 pass yds |
- Frank Cornish 1995
Birthplace as ESPN lists it for each player. Best career first: games played in the regular season, summed over the seasons on file.