Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. 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. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. The unit helped turn the Rams from an irrelevant team to a title contender by the end of the decade. - Jim Morrissey: Smells. He still competes in Masters athletics events, setting records in the 45- to 49-year-old age group in recent years in the 100 and 200 meters. Bears veteran players and coaches took a trip to Top Golf for a team outing on Thursday, enjoying the driving range, mini golf and other games. The Bears went 15-1 and were first in the NFC Central. Orange Crush: Broncos defense of 1970s led by Lyle Alzado and Randy Gradishar. The Bears had allowed 212 yards in the first half, but eventually allowed only 95 in the second half. He was considered the Bears most intimidating player. He does frequent guest appearances on ESPN 1000, and is in his second season as coach of the Chicago Slaughter of the Indoor Football League. Charles Neal Anderson is ''Charley'' and Tom Waddle, with his hair straight up, is ''Woodstock,'' the comic-strip bird in Peanuts. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Mike Richardson; ''Punky QB'' Jim McMahon; ''The Bermuda Triangle'' of Mike Singletary, Otis Wilson and Wilber Marshall; the recently departed ''Double-D'' Dave Duerson and, of course, ''Sweetness,'' Walter Payton. Find out more. Still considered one of the greatest players in Michigan State history, Morrissey played almost nine full seasons at linebacker for the Bears before ending the 1993 season and his career with the archrival Green Bay Packers. He is retired, with the exception of taking part each year in the Texas vs.The Nation game. Join our linker program. Nov. 28, 1964. He amassed an impressive 1,488 career tackles, 885 of which were solo efforts. He still manages to attend several Bears-related events, particularly the team's annual fan convention. Do you have a sports website? The Bears entered 1985 looking to improve on their 106 record from 1984 and advance further than the NFC Championship Game, where they lost to the 151 San Francisco 49ers. . Once his playing days ended, Taylor became a personal trainer, eventually working with more than 5,000 athletes. Chicago then drove to the 3-yard line, but had to settle for another field goal from Butler after rookie defensive lineman William "Refrigerator" Perry was tackled for a 1-yard loss while trying to throw his first NFL pass on a halfback option play. Monsters of the Midway: Introduced in the 1940s when Bears won four NFL titles. For those unaware, the 1985 Chicago Bears are widely considered to be among the best football teams to ever hit the gridiron. He now owns Forest Technology and Installations in north suburban Lake Forest. Check out the 1985 Chicago Bears Roster, Players , Starters and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com. Led by Klecko's 21.5 sacks, the Jets led the NFL with 66 sacks in 1981. Chicago allowed an NFL-low 12.4 points per game and surrendered just 10 total points during three playoff wins, including a 46-10 beatdown of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. Greatest Show on Turf: Explosive Rams teams led by Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. They recorded two shutouts and dominated offenses that came at them. The '77 Cowboys defense also included the 6-foot-9 Ed "Too Tall" Jones and Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, who in 2019 declared Doomsday the greatest defensive unit of all time. The Punky QB. Gault continues to pursue an acting/screenwriting/producing career in Hollywood. 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. He signed with the Bears in the off-season as a free agent. Glen ''Koz'' Kozlowski is also known as. Dent played for the Bears for 10 seasons. Top 10: Best NFL Nicknames With the Monsters of the Midway set to host the Steelers (whose defense was known as the Steel Curtain in the 1970s), senior writer Larry Mayer ranks his top 10 favorite NFL nicknames. 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. Chicago finally pulled ahead on a 16-yard Walter Payton TD run near the end of the third quarter, and held on for a 1710 victory. One of the best centers to ever play the game, Hilgenberg was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time first-team All-Pro. 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 '80s was a wild time in New York City, and the Jets of that era were an extension of that craziness. Thomas was also involved this year in a joint effort with the Chicago Public Schools to encourage residents to fill out the U.S. Census. He was a rookie during the Super Bowl-winning 1985 season and had the distinction of wearing the same jersey number as Hall of Famer Dick Butkus (which was eventually retired in 1994). (NFL Films)FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/5OqpYmn5AjJET X: https://t.co/pqEImVyzzA pic.twitter.com/ujeR3vSvTm. The Steel Curtain obliged, sort of, yielding 17 rushing yards on21 carries. It's the offseason, and while you're probably itching to read yet another Aaron Rodgers story, we invite you to check out our ranking our the top unit nicknames in NFL history. Dan Hampton then tipped a Marino pass into the air, but it sailed downfield for 30 yards before landing in the hands of Clayton, who went into the end zone to make it 3817. Here are some of the grades they received. Or, how about ''the Assassin,'' Jack Tatum? The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. He spent one year with the L.A. 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. : Jim Dooley (Offensive Consultant), Ted Plumb (Receivers) and Dick Stanfel (Offensive Line), Secretary of the Board of Directors: Virginia Halas McCaskey, Training Camp: UW Platteville (Platteville, Wisconsin), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 2:31PM. The year before they were 10-4. His website (thespeeddr.com) touts this: "Ken Taylor will teach you and your muscles to be faster. The loss to the Dolphins would be the only loss the Bears would suffer that season, as they finished with a 151 record. My name is Matt and I am an experienced sports writer, anchor, reporter and multimedia journalist! Frazier is in his fourth season as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for the Minnesota Vikings. Yet for all his fury on the football field, Fencik was a mild-mannered man off it. He was a cornerstone in turning around the Bears defense. Although Krenk's official statistics say he spent just one season in the NFL -- with the Bears in 1984 -- he still earned a Super Bowl ring for spending the 1985 season on injured reserve. The Notre Dame graduate moved into the starting lineup as a rookie right offensive guard with the Bears in 1985 and stayed there through the 1992 season, finishing his career in 1993 with a three-game stint with Miami before retiring. He left the team to join his family's auto dealership business in the north suburbs, where he's believed to still live today. [33] They were also second in scoring with 456 points (28.5 points/game), trailing only the Chargers that season. For an NFL team today, 104 penalties in a 16-game season is not much to scoff at. On their very first play, McMahon faked a handoff to Payton, then threw a 60-yard completion to Gault. The 2018 class of undrafted free agents signing with the Bears. This matched the 49ers' mark from the year before and tied the then-record for most wins in a regular season; the record would be reached twice more in 1998 (Minnesota Vikings) and 2004 (Pittsburgh Steelers) before the New England Patriots ended the 2007 NFL season with a 160 regular season record. CHI Dennis McKinnon 20-yard pass from Jim McMahon (Kevin Butler kick). Steve McMichael: McMichael played for the Bears from 1981-1993. There are some teams that are fair-haired; there are some teams that are not fair-haired. The Bears have assigned uniform numbers to their 10 picks in this year's draft, beginning with first-round selection Darnell Wright, who will wear No. After a 15-season NFL career (one year with New England, 13 with the Bears and a final season in 1994 with Green Bay), McMichael spent time as a broadcaster and five years as a pro wrestler. The story of the 1981 New York #Jets, the "Talk of the Town." He made 7 interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. Greene had an interception and a fumble recovery, while White recorded the first safety in Super Bowl history. The Bears subsequently drove 59 yards in 10 plays, featuring a 24-yard reception by Suhey, to score on McMahon's 2-yard touchdown run to increase their lead, 203. He was named head coach in 1968 when legendary team patriarch and founder George S. Halas retired from coaching at the age of 73. He is the originator of the "Dooley Shift," which since has become more commonly known as the nickel defense. In the '85 season, Wilson had 10.5 sacks. 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. Recap the Bears' 2023 Draft with news, photos, highlights and more from all 10 members of the club's newest rookie class. Olsen's contributions to the Rams earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame. The Slaughter won the championship in 2009 but were 6-8 in 2010. During the game, he shared 1.5 sacks, forced two fumbles, and blocked a pass. Van Horne lives in the Chicago suburbs and can be found occasionally at sports memorabilia and autograph sessions, as well as being a regular at the annual Bears' fan convention. Take a look at Bears team photos dating back to 1920. Da Coach. He spent the next 10 years in a variety of jobs, including one season as linebackers coach with Buffalo, and served as an assistant coach in the short-lived World Football League, as well as in private business. After a post-playing career in business, a chance offer to become running backs coach for the then-XFL's Chicago Enforcers in 2000 wound up ultimately changing Gentry's life. 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. Phillips' career in the NFL was short -- just four seasons -- but he made the most of it, earning a Super Bowl ring with the Bears as a rookie (he remained with the team through 1987 before playing his final season in 1988 with the Phoenix -- now Arizona -- Cardinals). Hammer'' seems appropriate. He is believed to reside in Texas. Milky. The Time article revealed a quote that demonstrated how dominant the Steel Curtain was. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. 54: 1982 @Redskins, @SuperBowl XVII Champions #HTTR: #NFL100 Greatest Teams on @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/pHZUq8wlc4. Armstrong is also called ''Happy Boy'' by his teammates since he`s always goofing off. For the past four years, Thomas has worked as a coach for Pro Sports Experience, a company owned by the son of former Bears president Jim Finks that runs more than 20 Chicago Bears Youth Football Camps around Chicagoland. He became quite adept at offensive quality control and breaking down the team's offense. It's pressure also contributed to three interceptions, as Pittsburgh won its second of four Super Bowls during the decade. The list below goes over the cute bear names we love. A former acquaintance and business associate of Gayle, Marni Yang, was arrested in March 2009 and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The Rams are a Smith. Take a look at each of the 30 players in franchise history to be enshrined in Canton, the most of any team in the NFL. FIFTH ROW: Fred Caito, Willie Gault (83), Brian Bashnagel (84), Dennis McKinnon (85), Brad Anderson (86), Emery Moorehead (87), Pat Dunsmore (88), Mitch Krenk (89), Richard Dent (95), Keith. at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota, The following week against rival Minnesota, backup quarterback Steve Fuller was called up to take the place of Jim McMahon, who was sidelined with a pinched nerve. Reynolds, Bubba Smith, Ed ''Too Tall'' Jones, Gene ''Big Daddy'' Lipscomb, Ted ''Mad Stork'' Hendricks. The early '40s Bears were dominant, and the nickname certainly added to their fame. The Jets' lack of postseason success is what ultimately led to them not being higher on this list. Just start with all of the nicknames. He had done extensive on-air work as a radio broadcaster for several years on a number of Chicago-area stations. Upon retirement, Maness returned to his native Texas and serves on the council of the Pro Players Foundation, a fund-raising organization based in suburban Dallas that helps disadvantaged and physically challenged youth. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Andrews' NFL career was brief, spending two seasons with the Bears (1984-85) and one with Seattle (1986). The win also gave the Bears the NFC Central division title. "It was like following The Beatles, quite honestly. Earley remained in Chicago through the 1987 season before retiring back to Maplewood (a suburb of St. Paul) in his native Minnesota. [42] At that time, Obama called them the greatest team ever; however, he called his own words into question when hosting the 1972 Dolphins, the only NFL team with a perfect season. They are known as one of the meanest, toughest teams to ever take the field. The star of the unit, Mark Gastineau, was a hard-charging, gregarious player who recorded a then-NFL-record 22 sacks in 1984. He remained with the Bears through 1989, then played with Philadelphia in 1990 and '91 before retiring. Now 56, Rains played seven years for the Bears (1981-87). However, the Bears had the last laugh against their hated rival, winning 1610, and Perry scored his first career receiving touchdown along the way. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, at New England took the ensuing kickoff and ran one play before the first quarter ended, which resulted in positive yardage for the first time in the game (a 3-yard run by James). Warner's 414 passing yards spearheaded the Rams' thrilling 23-16 win over the Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. He has a coaching record of 136-110 and is 5-6 in postseason play, including a loss to the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV. He is a successful businessman in his native Texas. Bell and Harris would eventually hold out for the season. [15] The 198 points allowed were 65 less than the second-most allowed that year, while the point differential of plus-258 is 110 more than the second-ranked differential and the third-highest in NFL history. But the relationship he had with Buddy Ryan was not great. But the Patriots defense still had no ability to stop Chicago's offense. His stops include Westminster College (Utah), where his career began in 1970 as defensive coordinator, and continued through the College of Emporia (Kansas), Texas-Arlington, Colorado State, Southern Utah, Texas-Austin, UTEP and the Dallas Cowboys. It also continued to popularize the NFL while showcasing the personalities of the players who dominated the sport. He says this, Football is an angry game, played with punishing violence," he writes. The wind, blowing at 13mph, caught the ball just enough for punter Sean Landeta to completely miss it, and Shaun Gayle picked it up and ran 5 yards for a touchdown. After Matt Forte announced his retirement Wednesday, ChicagoBears.com ranked the running back's 10 best games with the Bears. [6][7] Other sources rate the 1985 Chicago Bears as the greatest NFL team ever. The success of Gastineau, Klecko, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam led New York to an AFC Championship Game appearance in 1982. Although retired from coaching, Plumb still takes part in the yearly Texas vs. Greenwood, and menacing linemen Dwight White and Ernie Holmes, the unit led the Steelers to their first two Super Bowl wins of the decade. There was Walter Payton. What's the difference between the 85' Bears and the 2014 Bears (besides obviously winning the Super Bowl)? Led by linemen Bob Lilly and Larry Cole, linebackers Chuck Howley and Lee Roy Jordan, and defensive backs Mel Renfro, Herb Adderley and Cliff Harris, the Cowboys held the Dolphins to a mere three points in their Super Bowl VI victory. Simms was 14/35 for 209 yards while running back Joe Morris, the NFL's regular-season touchdown leader, finished with 32 yards on 12 carries. The Patriots finally scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, advancing the ball 76 yards in 12 plays and scoring on an 8-yard pass from Grogan to receiver Irving Fryar. After the Bears scored on a Kevin Butler field goal, Marino hit Mark Duper on a crossing pattern for 52 yards. A track and football star at Oregon State, the former Bears cornerback resides in Temecula, Calif., where he owns "The Speed Doctor," a private training service dedicated to improving speed and conditioning for athletes of all ages in several Southern California counties. With future Hall of Famer Mike Singletary (#50) flanked by the supremely athletic Wilber Marshall (#58) and Otis Wilson (#55), the linebacking unit ranked in at #5 of the greatest linebacking corps in NFL history in NFL Top 10. Jim Thorpe is the spirit of the game. It perfectly summed up the dominance of Buddy Ryan's bunch, but similar to the 1940s, no specific unit officially claimed.