We're a Grabowski. The '82 unit, a group that included Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby and Mark May, powered an offense that featured ageless fullback John Riggins. Clyde Emrich, weightlifting/strength coach. He enters his 40th season coaching football this year, a career that has taken him across the country to several posts as an assistant and head coach. Denver's defense put up impressive performances over the Steelers and Raiders -- offenses that featured a combined 12 future Hall of Famers -- in the playoffs before holding their own against the Cowboys' prolific offense in Super Bowl XII. Orange Crush: Broncos defense of 1970s led by Lyle Alzado and Randy Gradishar. The former Drake standout played just two seasons with the Bears before he retired. He moved to the Bears (his longest tenure, 11 seasons, from 1982 to '92), where he served in a variety of roles including special teams coach, defensive assistant, tight ends coach and assistant to the head coach. Top 10: Best NFL Nicknames - Chicago Bears A team's nickname can define an offensive or defensive unit, especially in the NFL. The '86 Giants have a claim, but most NFL Experts agree that the NFL's best defense has to be the '85 Bears. It perfectly summed up the dominance of Buddy Ryan's bunch, but similar to the 1940s, no specific unit officially claimed. It perfectly summed up the dominance of Buddy Ryan's bunch, but similar to the 1940s, no specific unit officially claimed the nickname, even though it is largely attributed to the '85 Bears defense. Charles Neal Anderson is ''Charley'' and Tom Waddle, with his hair straight up, is ''Woodstock,'' the comic-strip bird in Peanuts. Gault, who turns 50 in September, spent five seasons with the Bears and six with the Raiders before retiring after the 1993 season with 44 touchdown passes in his career. The Rams also showed a growing football audience that hard-hitting, physical football can be as enjoyable to watch as high-scoring affairs. The @RamsNFL Fearsome Foursome More #NFL100 rewinds now streaming on @TIDAL: https://t.co/HdqaOJGkN4 pic.twitter.com/LKgU96jMRY. This nickname is more than just awesome. Here was the NFL's youngest group, coached by a team legend, that happened to have the greatest defense that football had ever seen up to that point. "Mama's Boy Otis" has been involved in a number of ventures in business, film and broadcasting since his retirement from the NFL in 1989. Matt Lively returns with his profile of the incredible defensive unit that was the 1985 Chicago Bears. Dooley passed away in January 2008, one month shy of his 78th birthday. An All-America tight end from UCLA, Wrightman was drafted by the Bears in 1982, but a contract dispute led him to sign with the Chicago Blitz of the rival USFL. The Bears had absolutely dominated New England in the first half, holding them to 21 offensive plays (only 4 of which resulted in positive yardage), 19 total offensive yards, 2 pass completions, 1 first down, and 3 points. Take a look at a selection of Bears players participating in the Pro Bowl over the past 50 years. The defense led the league in points allowed (198), yards allowed (4,135) and takeaways (54), a feat that wouldn't be accomplished again until the 2013 Seattle Seahawks defense. The team was corralled by hard-nosed Mike Ditka. The Oak Park native was primarily a reserve offensive lineman who played guard and tackle and was a key cog on special teams. For an NFL team today, 104 penalties in a 16-game season is not much to scoff at. 20% off everything ends soon. The season the New York Sack Exchange cemented itself and the organization finally made it back to the playoffs. My name is Matt and I am an experienced sports writer, anchor, reporter and multimedia journalist! Hall of Famers Walter Payton, Mike Singletary and Dan Hampton, . He ended his career with single-season stints with Houston, Arizona and the New York Jets (1993-95). New England receiver Stephen Starring returned 7 kickoffs for 153 yards and caught 2 passes for 39 yards. He is expected to be one of the top candidates to start at fullback for the Nittany Lions this season. In 14 different games that season, the Bears allowed 14 points or less. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Do you have a sports website? "This is Speedy Willy and I'm world-class," Gault rapped in the Super Bowl Shuffle, which he helped organize. Perry's touchdown and McMahon's rushing touchdowns are widely considered as scoring opportunities that were denied to Payton. In a student vs teacher matchup, the Bears shut out the Cowboys, handing them the worst loss in franchise history, as well as the first time they were shut out in 15 years. He also had several coaching stints in the Canadian Football League before joining the St. Louis Rams as a scout in 2007, a position he holds today. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. The Bears also dominated Patriots starting running back James, holding him to 1 yard on 5 carries, with 1 fumble. He also is on the board of directors of Innovative Designs Inc. A member of the Bears' video team under chief videographer Mitch Friedman, and the son of longtime Bears and NFL executive Bill McGrane. Do you have a sports website? Or, how about ''the Assassin,'' Jack Tatum? Richard Dent - Wikipedia Raiders after eight seasons with the Bears. He played with Chicago through 1986 before ending his career with a brief stint with the Redskins in 1987. Dent and the Bears had been attempting to work out a contract extension, as his contract ran through the 1985 season, and paid him $90,000. Mike Ditka, '85 Bears looked like NFL's next dynasty, but what happened? His tenure with Indy ironically culminated with a Super Bowl XLI win over the Bears, earning him a second Super Bowl ring. 89: Mike Ditka - 'Iron Mike Ditka' Darryl Norenberg-USA TODAY Sports No. The Bears entered 1985 looking to improve on their 10-6 record from 1984 and advance further than the NFC Championship Game, where they lost to the 15-1 San Francisco 49ers. Kicker Kevin Butler kicked a 34-yard field goal in the first period. This cut the lead to 10-7 and importantly, on the play, Washington's punter injured his knee and was sidelined for the remainder of the game. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Ultimately Payton was the Bears' leading rusher during the game, but the Patriots defense held him to only 61 yards on 22 carries, with his longest run being only 7 yards. The unit helped turn the Rams from an irrelevant team to a title contender by the end of the decade. Tight end, 1961-1966Head coach, 1982-1992. On the ensuing drive, Walter Payton sealed the victory with a 27-yard touchdown run, putting Chicago up for keeps 1610. at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California, Nine months after their humiliating defeat at the hands of the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, the Bears claimed their revenge by sacking Joe Montana a then-career high seven times. Like several of his former teammates, Keys became heavily involved in philanthropy and helping needy youth. 54: 1982 @Redskins, @SuperBowl XVII Champions #HTTR: #NFL100 Greatest Teams on @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/pHZUq8wlc4. A team comprised of legends.The 1974 #Steelers take #43 in the #NFL100 Greatest Teams countdown. Since retiring, Waechter and his wife have built a successful agricultural supply firm in Grand Island, Neb. But on third and goal, Gary Fencik stuffed a pitch play for a five-yard loss and the Colts' kicker missed a 22-yard-field goal attempt wide left. Since retiring following the 1994 season, Bortz has lived in the north suburbs and spends much of his time with his family, making public appearances and also farming. Before the Cowboys were branded as "America's Team," their defense was given one of the greatest nicknames ever. ", 1985 Chicago Bears NFL's 10 Greatest Teams 125th Anniversary Sporting News, "Top 10 linebacking corps in NFL history", "1985 Bears: Wilber Marshall's Bonecrushing Hit [Video] Chicago Sports Mob", "22. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. His legendary 42-yard touchdown run put Washington in front to stay. Cup of coffee Bears: "The Red Rifle" Andy Dalton (#73) "Riverboat" Ron Rivera (#47) Marion "The Barbarian" Barber (#41) Craig "Ironhead" Heyward (#20) No doubt many fans will disagree with the placement of some of these Chicago Bears icons on the list. . Both of those records would stand until Super Bowl XXIV in New Orleans four years later, when the 49ers defeated the Denver Broncos by 45 points, 5510. The interior of the line was anchored by the 350-pound William "The Refrigerator" Perry, who tallied five sacks in his rookie year, and fellow DT Steve McMichael, who sacked opposing QBs eight times. One play turned the game, a 99-yard kickoff return by Willie Gault. Wilson hosted his sixth annual Celebrity Golf Outing on Aug. 5 at Bolingbrook Golf Club for his 55-Alive initiative that promotes physical fitness and nutrition for at-risk youths in the Chicago area. That charge was overturned on appeal in June and Richardson was released in early August. He was promoted to his current position of associate head coach/linebackers coach in 2008. That Super Bowl Shufflin` Crew included Dennis ''Silky D'' McKinnon; ''L.A.'' There are some teams that are fair-haired; there are some teams that are not fair-haired. He was taken in the third round of the 1983 NFL Draft. Bears quarterback Jim McMahon later threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter, both to Dennis McKinnon. He was the MVP of Super Bowl XX. [32] However, if one views the game and watches the Patriots' defense, it is clear that their primary goal was stopping Payton and he frequently had three and four defenders keyed on him on nearly every play. The year before they were 10-4. Consider: Broadway Joe Namath, Mean Joe Greene, Jack ''Hacksaw''. The 1985 season was the team's cheerleading squad Chicago Honey Bears' final season with the team, as team owner Virginia Halas McCaskey eventually severed all ties with them. For those unaware, the 1985 Chicago Bears are widely considered to be among the best football teams to ever hit the gridiron. The brains of the operation was Joe Klecko, who earned Pro Bowl selections at four different positions. After retiring from the NFL, Suhey, who resides with his family in the northern suburbs, became an investment banker and has served as executor of Payton's estate since his death in 1999. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. But the Bears defense dominated New England for the rest of the game, forcing another fumble, another interception, and defensive lineman Henry Waechter's sack on Grogan in the end zone for a safety to make the final score 4610. The success of Gastineau, Klecko, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam led New York to an AFC Championship Game appearance in 1982. The former TCU standout and College Football Hall of Fame member played just one season in the NFL, but what a year it was as the Bears went on to win Super Bowl XX. The former Ohio State standout played 10 seasons with the Bears. Not many nicknames capture the essence of an era and a city much like this one. [4][5] In 2007, the 1985 Bears were ranked as the second greatest Super Bowl championship team on the NFL Network's documentary series America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions, ranking behind only the 1972 Dolphins. A world-class runner and hurdler, he qualified for the 1980 men's Olympic track team, but the U.S. boycotted those games in Moscow. Now 56, Rains played seven years for the Bears (1981-87). Chicago quarterback Jim McMahon scored on a 16-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and later threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Willie Gault in the third quarter. Maness saw limited action in eight games, returning two punts and catching one pass in his brief NFL career. We will promote things to help pay for everything. The Evanston native also has stayed true to his home state of Illinois since retiring from a 12-year NFL career that included three seasons with the New York Giants, one with the Broncos and the final eight with the Bears. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Haupt was a longtime defensive line coach and coordinator. Photos of Bears football during the years spent at Wrigley Field. Now, he's known as Dr. Stefan G. Humphries, MD. Howard Angus: Being a World Champion at two sports as an amateur! Still, he wasn't idle that season, serving as an assistant to then-defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan. However, after an unimpressive showing at training camp, defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan tabbed Perry as a "wasted draft-pick". Frazier is in his fourth season as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for the Minnesota Vikings. The former McNeese State standout spent three seasons in the NFL, all with the Bears. The Cowboys' original "Doomsday" defense led the franchise to its first Super Bowl win. The Bears' iconic 46 defense (named after the jersey number of former Bears' safety, Doug Plank), led by mercurial defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, was an "attack from all angles" scheme that resulted in, arguably, one of the greatest overall team defenses in league history. First, their 46 points broke the previous record of 38 that had been scored by the Los Angeles Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII and again by the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX. Football - Fitness - Cricket - NFL - NBA - MLB - Horse Racing - All Sports. He used to be an offensive lineman. Top 10: Player Nicknames The 1985 Chicago Bears are one of the few teams to consistently challenge the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins for the unofficial title of the greatest NFL team of all time. Richard Dent was called ''the Colonel'' in 1985 because, just as Col. Sanders and Kentucky Fried Chicken only do one thing, so Dent supposedly only knows how to rush the passer. Frederick, who spent nine seasons in the NFL, won a Super Bowl in his final campaign in 1985.
