BOURBONNAIS, Ill. — Chicago Bears center Olin Kreutz is preparing to finish off his first decade in the NFL.

Approaching this stage of his career, two questions can be pondered.

First, how much longer can the Saint Louis School alum continue to play?

"Until my body shuts down on me," Kreutz said after a recent training camp practice. "I'll play this game as long as I can."

Once his career does end, will he gain entrance into the Hall of Fame?

"There is no doubt in my mind," Bears offensive line coach Harry Hiestand answered.

Kreutz set simple goals for himself when he was drafted out of the University of Washington in the third round by the Bears in 1998.

"I just wanted to make the team," he said. "I had a goal to work as hard as I could and try to impress the veterans.

"Then, I wanted to try to do what I'm doing now."

What Kreutz is doing now is building a Hall of Fame resume.

Just don't ask the 6-foot-2, 292-pound lineman about such an honor. Kreutz, a 2006 All-Pro selection, went as far to jokingly say he would have to bribe someone to get into the Hall of Fame.

"That's so far away I don't even think about that," he said. "I'm just happy people say my name in the same sentence, but I'm a long way away from even being there."

That reaction is not surprising. Kreutz would rather discuss anything other than himself in an interview.

"He's very humble and doesn't want the attention on him," Hiestand said. "He doesn't need to be in the limelight or talked about.

"That isn't what he needs. What motivates him is his tremendous desire to be the best he can be every day."

It's a good thing Kreutz doesn't want the attention, because playing on the offensive line is anything but a glamour position.

It also makes getting into the Hall of Fame a little more difficult.

Just seven centers have been inducted during the modern era, which began in 1946. The last was Miami's Dwight Stephenson in 1998.

In all, 32 offensive lineman have gained entrance into the Hall during the same time period.

"Offensive linemen are kind of like a fraternity," Kreutz said, "so we're always happy when someone gets accolades."

Still, Kreutz is on pace to make quite the case for Hall of Fame induction.

He has six straight Pro Bowl selections and has missed just one game in the last five years.

Hiestand, though, says it's what doesn't show up on paper that will make Kreutz a Hall of Famer.

"He just has an incredible determination that is really rare," Hiestand said. "Olin has a tremendous amount of pride. He prepares himself to play this game harder than anyone I've ever been around.

"Week in and week out, year in and year out he plays at the highest level," Hiestand said, "and to me (the Hall of Fame) is where those guys belong."

It's safe to say Kreutz has league-wide respect, not that it would matter if he didn't.

"I don't really care," he said. "I only care about what my teammates think about me."

In that case, he has nothing to worry about.

"Aside from being physically strong, athletic and big — he's one of the smartest players on the field," quarterback Rex Grossman said. "And he has the intensity to match both of those.

"If you have that combination of talent, intensity and intelligence you're going to be a great player."

Which is what Kreutz has been for nearly a decade.