His funeral took place at Antioch Baptist Church on the South Side.
Duerson played with the 1985 Super Bowl Bears and also with the New York Giants.
Rev. Jesse Jackson, former senator Roland Burris and a number of Duerson's teammates attended Saturday's service.
The wife of the late Walter Payton also paid her respects. She talked about her son's reaction when he heard of Duerson's passing:
"I think the best part of all is that dad is up there waiting for him. Can you imagine the fun that they're going to have together talking about football now?" said Connie Payton.
"For him to take his life the way he took his life, but yet to leave something behind to help this game out, to help the future," said former Bears player Richard Dent.
"There were you know a lot of great people saying a lot of great things about Dave. And you know, the consistent thing was that he did know God and he's in a better place," said former Bears player Emery Moorehead.
"Today was an awesome day. I mean my dad, he did a lot of things for a lot of people. And he did a lot more things for me. And you know, I'm just blessed and I'm happy to be a Duerson," said Duerson's son Brock.
Duerson committed suicide last week at his home in Florida.
Known for touching many lives, Duerson asked that his brain be donated for research into a condition caused by repetitive trauma.
Duerson is survived by four children.
