Chicago Bears

George Taliaferro -- known as the "Jackie Robinson of Football" after becoming the 1st black player drafted by an NFL team -- died Monday ... his alma mater, Indiana University, confirmed.

He was 91 years old.

Taliaferro was a superstar at IU back in the late 1940s ... playing running back, quarterback and punter -- and garnering All-American honors three times.

When he left the school in 1949, the Chicago Bears picked him in the 13th round ... becoming the first-ever black man to be drafted into the league.

Taliaferro made three Pro Bowls in 1951, 1952 and 1953 ... and finished his career with 1,300 receiving yards, more than 2,000 rushing yards and 1,633 passing yards.

"All of us at Indiana University are deeply saddened by the passing of George Taliaferro," IU said in a statement.

"The 'Jackie Robinson of football,' he went on to become the first African-American player to be drafted by the National Football League, where he excelled at a remarkable seven positions and earned Pro Bowl honors in three of his six seasons."

"A man of enormous talent, courage and determination that helped him shatter racial barriers and earn a special place in the annals of our state and its flagship public university."

Sorry, Aaron Rodgers ... your reign as King in the NFC North is over -- 'cause the Bears are the best team there now -- so says Chicago legend Mike Singletary.

Da Bears just waxed the Bucs 48-10 ... and when the greatest LB in Chicago history spoke with TMZ Sports about the W -- he told us he's convinced they're better than the Packers AND the Vikings.

"At the end of the day, I think the Bears are the most COMPLETE team in that division," Mike says.

Of course ... Detroit's also in the North -- but after their loss to the Cowboys on Sunday ... Mike didn't even bother to mention them in the same conversation.

Big win means big dance party for the Chicago Bears -- who broke out the disco ball in the team locker room after beating the brakes off the Bucs ... and TURNED UP!!!

It's become a tradition for the Bears -- with head coach Matt Nagy believing his players should be able to celebrate the hell out of every victory.

So, after Mitch Trubisky and company dominated Tampa Bay in a 48-10 ass whooping at Soldier Field ... the ball came out and the music got loud!

The song -- "My Dawg" by Lil Baby.

"Great team victory. Unbelievable team victory," Nagy told the team after the game.

"That's a full team win right now and we protected Soldier Field."

Sorry, Khalil Mack ... Mike Ditka thinks you got a great shot at an NFC North title -- but he's telling TMZ Sports it's time to slow the roll on the '85 comparisons.

ICYMI ... Chicago beat up Arizona on Sunday and is one Aaron Rodgers-led miracle away from being 3-0 -- leading some to call this Chicago's best squad since 1985.

But Ditka -- who coached that historic Super Bowl team 33 years ago -- says let's all calm down with that talk.

"I don't know if the talent level on this defense is near what it was on our defense," Iron Mike tells us.

Don't get it twisted ... Ditka's still in love with this team -- saying they do at least hustle and pursue like Mike Singletary and William Perry used to.

Trey Burton had to pay money to catch passes for the Bears on Monday ... and he couldn't have been happier -- telling TMZ Sports he's donating tons of cash to a great cause this season!!

The ex-Eagle (and Philly Special star) says for every reception this year he'll give $1,000 ... and for every score, he'll shell out $2,500.

The cause?? Burton says it's all going to the International Justice Mission -- a global org aiming to stop the slave trade and sex trafficking everywhere.

Soooo ... with his performance Monday night against the Seahawks -- Burton had to pony up $5,500 ... and he couldn't have been more pleased to do it.

"The best $5,500 I've ever spent," he says. "Hopefully we can do a lot more!"

Trey tells us his season-long goal is to give out around $60,000-$90,000 -- and he hopes it inspires others to dip into their pockets to help as well.

NFL legend Willie McGinest is confused by the whole Raiders-Khalil Mack drama ... and is seemingly placing most of the blame for the superstar's departure on Jon Gruden's shoulders.

"If you're a coach coming into a new situation and this is a player that you covet and you really want on your team, there's no egos in this," the ex-Patriot tells TMZ Sports.

"I think you call the player and express your feelings and what you expect and what you need."

Remember ... Mack's whole issue with the Raiders stems from the fact that he and Jon NEVER spoke after Gruden got the head gig.

Willie -- a former stud pass rusher himself -- is perplexed by Gruden and the Raiders' role in the situation ... especially after the new Chicago Bear BEASTED in his first game Sunday.

"I understand there's two sides to the business," McGinest says.

"But, Khalil Mack, in my opinion, is a generational player that can control and impact the game."

For Gruden's part ... he tells ESPN the trade had to go down because, "Obviously, Khalil Mack didn't want to play here."

Chicago Bears star Tarik Cohen says despite his last name -- he's NOT a Jew, but says he's gotten so much love from his Hebrew fans that he's ready to finally try out a Jewish deli!

When Tarik blew up this past season ... the Jewish community went crazy trying to find out if the star running back with the traditionally Jewish last name was really a member of the tribe.

Turns out, Cohen is not a jew -- but he feels it's an honor to get so warmly embraced by his Semitic fans.

"I'm not Jewish necessarily, but I do feel accepted ... by the Jewish community."

And get this, Cohen says he's never even been to a Jewish deli before -- but REALLY wants to go, especially since our Jewish camera guy told him he'd probably get a discount.

Dry your tears, Patriots fans ... if Chicago Bears star Kyle Long is right, Rob Gronkowski isn't going anywhere anytime soon, 'cause Long tells TMZ Sports all the retirement talk is just that ... talk.

After the Super Bowl, Gronk said he was pondering his future in football -- some think he'll actually retire.

But not Long -- who strongly believes Gronk has a lot of football left in him and will return to the Patriots next year.

A company that sells stock in professional athletes claims Chicago Bears WR Kendall Wright is a bad investment ... because he's allegedly screwing the company out of a ton of cash.

Wright is being sued by Fantex, Inc. -- which has made headlines for making deals with professional athletes so they could sell "shares" to fans who believe the athletes are destined for big paydays.

For example, Fantex would pay athletes a signing bonus and in exchange they could get a piece of the athlete's future income on and off the field. Stock holders would participate in the profits.

Fantex reportedly signed a deal with Wright back in 2015 -- offering him $3.125 mil for 10% of his future earnings. Since then, Wright reportedly made $7.3 mil with the Titans in 2016 and and $4 mil with the Bears in 2017.

He'll probably sign another big contract in 2018.

But the problem, according to Fantex, is Wright stopped paying the company their cut in March 2017 and now owes them $288k in back payments plus interest ... totaling $312,715.25.

Fantex says it's tried to contact Wright for the money, but he's basically blown them off.

Don't worry about how Devin Hester will stay busy in retirement ... the NFL legend tells TMZ Sports his wife is pregnant with a baby boy!

After Hester announced his retirement from the NFL early Tuesday morning -- capping off a career as arguably the greatest return man of all time -- we reached out to see what his post-NFL plans are.

"Family time!!!!!!" Hester said ... "A lovely wife with 2 boys and one more boy on the way!!"

Congrats!!

As for Hester's football future, the 4-time Pro Bowler says he plans on coaching his sons -- who are already killing it in flag leagues!!!

Bears TE Zach Miller is finally opening up about the gruesome injury that nearly cost him his left leg ... tearing up as he describes all that's gone down in the aftermath.

Miller says he knew the injury was "pretty severe" ... so when he made it to a trauma center in New Orleans, he had a simple message for the surgeons -- "Save my leg, please."

Zach credits Chicago's training staff, too -- calling one assistant trainer, Sid Dreyer, his "hero" for taking charge of the situation ... 'cause losing his leg could've been a matter of minutes, not hours.

But the Bears star was most affected by the outpouring of support after the incident ... which includes a bond with an inspirational teenage QB -- who lost his leg from a similar injury.

"That could be me ... if I didn't have the care that I had," Miller said.

"He's a special kid -- he gets me through every day."

Good news for Zach Miller ... the emergency surgery to repair an artery in his left leg was successful -- and it seems like his leg will be saved.

The Chicago Bears tight end damaged an artery when he badly dislocated his left knee during Sunday's game against the Saints. It was so bad, ESPN says he was in danger of losing his leg.

But now the Bears have issued a statement implying Miller is out of the danger zone.

"Miller sustained a serious injury to his left knee and immediate evaluation from our medical team on site rushed him to nearby University Medical Center New Orleans (UMC) for urgent vascular surgery to repair a torn popliteal artery."

"Successful surgery was performed immediately on Sunday by the UMC vascular surgeons to stabilize his injury."

"Zach remains at UMC, along with Bears medical personnel, where he will stay under further evaluation."

The horrific leg injury Chicago Bears TE Zach Miller suffered on Sunday was so bad, surgeons were scrambling to "save his leg" ... according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

Miller badly dislocated his left knee while trying to catch a TD pass in the 3rd quarter against the New Orleans Saints. He came down on the leg wrong and Miller knew right away the injury was bad.

Now, Mortensen says Miller suffered damage to an artery in his leg -- and vascular surgeons have been called in to repair it.

Bears legend Mike Singletary is ALL ABOUT Mitch Trubisky ... but warns Chicago fans that things ain't gonna change overnight.

We spoke with Singletary after Mitch-a-palooza on Monday Night Football ... and the Hall of Famer told us he was genuinely impressed with the #2 overall pick.

But the bottom line for Mike ... the Bears need to let Mitch "be what he is, a rookie," which essentially means it's a growing and learning season -- not a Super Bowl contender season.

"I definitely think there’s a lot to work with."

If Mitch Trubisky isn't the Chicago Bears starting QB in Week 1, "You've got problems" -- so says Bears legend Mike Ditka.

To say Da Coach was impressed with the rookie's preseason debut Thursday night is a gross understatement ... Ditka believes it's TRUB OR CONSEQUENCES!

"What I saw out of Trubiksy for a rookie in his first game I thought was outstanding."

Trub -- the #2 pick in the draft -- went 18-25 for 166 yards and a TD after replacing starting QB Mike Glennon who went 2-8 for 20 yards and an interception.

Ditka thinks the decision is obvious ... and says Mitch made a better first impression than guys like Tom Brady and Fran Tarkenton.

Hope Jay Cutler hasn't gotten too used to the deep dish pizza in Chicago ... 'cause Tony Gonzalez says his days in Chi town are DONE ... but don't worry, Kristin C., TG says Cutler's NFL days are NOT DONE.

Cutler is out for the year after getting hurt in the Bears' last game ... and a lot of people are saying that with that setback, his time in Halas Hall is over.