Some horrible, soulless, scumbag broke into the L.A. home of 1985 Chicago Bears wide receiver Willie Gault and stole his Super Bowl ring ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... cops raced over to Gault's home after receiving a call Wednesday night about jewelry that had been taken from the home in an apparent burglary.

We're told more than $100,000 in jewelry is missing from the home -- and Gault's rep tells us one of the missing items is Gault's prized '85 Super Bowl ring ... which famously boasts 40 diamonds, including a half-carat diamond in the center surrounded by 13 smaller diamonds.

Sources tell TMZ ... detectives are on the case and an LAPD investigation is currently underway.

Meanwhile, the Gaults are urging friends to keep an eye out for the ring at nearby pawn shops and on eBay.