Charles Tillman

Sport: Football

Induction Year: 2020

University: UL-Lafayette

Following a standout career at UL Lafayette, Tillman was a second-round (35th overall) NFL Draft pick who played 13 seasons at cornerback in the NFL with his hometown team, the Chicago Bears (2003-14), and Carolina Panthers (2015) before a knee injury forced him to retire at the age of 34.

Tillman played in 168 games with 164 starts and had 38 career interceptions for 675 yards, taking eight of those picks back for touchdowns. The former second-round draft pick in 2003 (35th overall) had at least three interceptions in nine of his 13 seasons. Never one to shy away from contact, the 6-foot-1, 196-pounder finished his career with 911 total tackles, notching a career-high 99 in 2011 when he was voted to play in the first of two consecutive Pro Bowls. He also forced 44 fumbles (sixth in NFL history) with 10 of them coming in 2012 when he was named an Associated Press first-team All-Pro. His four forced fumbles vs. Tennessee on Nov. 4, 2003, is an NFL single-game record and helped him earn the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and the Sports Illustrated Rookie of the Year honor.

Tillman, who broke up 141 passes in his career, had 16 in 2012 — one fewer than his personal-best of 17 that he had in 2008. Tillman came up with five interceptions three times in his career in 2005, 2006 and 2010. His Bears won the NFC title over the Saints in 2006 and played in Super Bowl XLI against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts but lost 29-17. He is the Bears’ all-time leader in forced fumbles (42), interception return yards (675) and interception return touchdowns (8), and second in interceptions (36). In his season with Carolina, Tillman helped the Panthers toward their only Super Bowl, suffering a career-ending knee injury in the regular-season finale.

Tillman won the 2013 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award — the league’s only award that recognizes excellence on and off the field with an emphasis on a player’s contributions to his community and to society in general.

As a Ragin’ Cajun, Tillman was a four-year starter from 1999-2002 and earned first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors in that league’s first two years (2001-02) even though he never played on a team that won more than three games (2-9 1-10, 3-8 3-9).He was also an All-Independent pick in 2000 in the Cajuns’ final year before the Sun Belt began football competition, and was an honorable mention All-America selection (AP) in 2002. He finished his college career with 12 interceptions, the fifth-most in school history, and 284 total tackles, the second-most by any Cajun defensive back, along with seven fumble recoveries and three blocked punts. He led UL Lafayette in interceptions three straight years (2000-02), and is one of only eight players to have their Cajun jersey retired.

Born 2-23-1981 in Chicago, Ill.