Richard Dent is a former professional defensive end. After graduating in 1983, and playing four years at Tennessee State University, Dent was drafted in the eighth round by the Bears, with 203rd overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft.

 Dent played primarily for the Chicago Bears  At 6 ft 5 in, 265 lb, Dent was a great pass rusher who beat offensive tackles with his speed. He was part of the core of great players who made the Bears' defenses of the 1980s legendary. Between 1984 and 1985, Dent recorded 34.5 sacks, while recording a team-record 17.5 sacks in the former season. When the Bears went on to defeat the New England Patriots in 46-10 landslide in Super Bowl XX, Dent was selected as the game's MVP. During the game, he shared 1.5 sacks, forced two fumbles, and blocked a pass. Dent made a mere $90,000 in base salary for his efforts in 1985 (just over $192,000 in 2012 dollars ). He was a featured soloist of the "Shuffling Crew" in the video, the "Super Bowl Shuffle" in 1985.

Dent was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.