He was a cornerstone in turning around the Bears defense. The '85 Bears . The Bears boast the most members who have earned election to the Pro Football Hall of . Steve McMichael: McMichael played for the Bears from 1981-1993. . Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670 The Score 670TheScore.com. 157 games; 57 sacks; . Offseason Offseason changes Head coach. That averages to 85 catches, 1,162 yards and 9 TDs . Fueled by arguably the greatest defense and running back in league history, the 1985 . Dent is best remembered as a star defensive end for the famed 1985 Chicago Bears defense that is widely regarded as the best in the history of the NFL . The Pats defense forced a total of four turnovers in the game. 46 defense 85 Bears AP Images asked athlete Avellini ball Baschnagel baseball Bears fans beat boys Buddy Ryan Butkus called career . This includes the founder, long time owner, and head coach George Halas, long time halfback and two-way player Bronko Nagurski, and the "Galloping Ghost" Red Grange. At the very least he was the most electrifying. Yeah I was gonna mention that. Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Singletary tells Rich how RB legend Walter Payton pranked him big time at his first trip to the Pro Bowl, says why the Bears' defense will keep them in games this year, how his '85 Monsters of the Midway Bears would handle a mouthy Aaron Rodgers, and says what makes A Ryan entered the NFL as a defensive line coach with the Buffalo Bills in 1961 and exited the league 34 years later as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. February 6, 2016 10:16 pm CT. Dick Stanfel was an five-time All-Pro guard and two-time NFL champion for the Redskins and Lions during his NFL career from 1952-1958. More than anything, The '85 Bears is a tribute to Ryan, and the on-screen moments between him and Hall of Famer Mike Singletary are some of the most tender you will ever see in anything else . The petition's goal is to get 15,000 signatures; there were nearly 12,500 as . 1 of 19. Chicago Bears. There was Walter Payton. Before you roll your eyes, hear me out. An eight-time Pro Bowl selection and member . . The 1966 Packers had 11. The Chicago Bears fired fourth-year head coach Matt Nagy on January 10, 2022, who most notably led the organization to one NFC North title and two NFL Playoffs appearances among other accolades. The NFL returns today when the Baltimore Ravens face the Chicago Bears in the annual Hall of Fame Game (8 p.m. But this is supposed to be about the '85 Bears. The first few years of the Hall of Fame's existence saw 14 Bear . Chuck Howley (1958-1973) It's unthinkable that Chuck Howley hasn't long been enshrined into the Hall of Fame. Won Divisional Round 21-0 vs. New York Giants. His '85 Bears defense will always be remembered as one of the best in NFL history. In order to be listed as part of the dynasty, a player or coach must have appeared in at least 50% of the team's games. Ryan was the genius behind the '85 Bears, which ran his league-changing . L.C. Patriots Hall of Fame Legends T-Shirt 2019. . Jimbo . Tillman's teammate Brian Urlacher's Hall of Fame bust Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images A hyper-focus of the media on man-to-man cornerback play in Tillman's early career . t28. With the Monsters of the Midway set to host the Steelers (whose . Hilgy played with the Bears from 1981 through 1991, and played two more seasons with the Browns and the Saints, before retiring in 1993. 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. The famed 1985 Bears have been named the second greatest team in NFL history on NFL.com's list of the top teams of all time. William "The Refrigerator" Perry For 10 seasons the fridge brought the thunder to opponents all around the NFL. One of the most notable players on that defense, William "Refrigerator" Perry, is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. Of the original 17 individuals inducted in 1963, three spent a majority of their careers with the Chicago Bears. The Chicago Bears, one of two charter members of the NFL still in existence, have a legendary history. 1985 Chicago Bears Starters, Roster, & Players. Guests to the museum on Thursday will be treated to the premiere during showings at 11 AM and 1 PM ET. 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.Not only did the Bears improve on that record, but . . Starters, Roster, & Players. the historic defense of the 1985 Chicago Bears, Terry Bradshaw and the 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers, and more. On January 27, 2022, Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was hired as the 17th head coach in franchise history. The 1975 Steelers, who the Bears beat in the finals of our "Best Teams Ever" bracket, had 10 Hall-of-Fame players. Sean Shaffrey. PAY THE MAN: Lions leaving Calvin Johnson with one final injury that just won't heal. and he was a starter on the famed '85 Bears defense that helped bring a Lombardi Trophy to Chicago. Won Super Bowl 46-10 vs. New England Patriots. Adam Vinatieri is destined to join Morten Andersen and Jan Stenerud as the only pure kickers in the Hall of Fame (Justin Tucker will become the fourth in about 20 . Rob Gronkowski will also be a first-ballot selection. He was first a great player (he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988) and then an even greater coach. 1972 Miami Dolphins- Only perfect team in Super Bowl era history. Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary wakes up with Good Morning Football to discuss the origins of his "Samurai Mike" nickname, where the Super Bowl XX champion '85 Bears rank among the greatest teams of all time, the legacy of fellow Hall of Famer Walter Payton, the current state of the Bears and more. . 1 Connecticut (78-53) and No. Chicago Bears. Dude was awesome. The only reason believed that he isn't already in Canton is his career was cut short by injury. Jim McMahon, the Bears' quarterback from 1982-88, has helped launch a petition to help McMichael's Hall of Fame cause. 1985 Chicago Bears Starters, Roster, & Players. On Saturday, nearly 60 years . ET). Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998, Singletary led the Bears to a Super Bowl title in 1985. Hall of Fame Patriots: Beyond Brady and Belichick. Greenwood didn't really take off until the 1973 season when he made his first pro bowl. . Top 5 most athletic MLB of all time. The Hogs' only Hall of Famer, left guard Russ Grimm, was a backup . Buddy Ryan died at the age of 82 in June 2016. Jim McMahon, the Bears' quarterback from 1982-88, has helped launch a petition to help McMichael's Hall of Fame cause. Class of 2022 member Bryant Young undoubtedly deserves to be there -- he's the 49ers' sacks leader since 1982 (89.5), thanks in no small part to the 52.5 sacks he racked up after suffering a . He was considered the Bears most intimidating player. Fat Athlete Hall of Fame Monday, June 14, 2010. Chicago Bears. . On defense, there was the 46: a revolutionary, quarterback-concussing scheme cooked up by Buddy Ryan and ruthlessly implemented by Hall of Famers such as Dan "Danimal" Hampton and "Samurai" Mike Singletary. These Super Bowl champions had short but memorable stays on the NFL's mountaintop Almost all of the successes on and off the field for the Bears from its beginnings through 1983 can be attributed to George "Papa Bear" Halas. He was known as "the heart of the defense" for arguably the greatest defensive unit . The petition's goal is to get 15,000 signatures; there were nearly 12,500 as . He started 161 of 165 games as a Dallas Cowboy. after coming off the bench to beat the Bears 37- 13 in the 1st game in franchise history vs. Chicago (9/17 . Hilgenberg gets the honor over fellow Bears center Olin Kreutz, who made six Pro Bowls in the 2000s and helped Chicago get to Super Bowl 41. . THE EPIC GAMES: Relive Calvin Johnson's Hall of Fame Lions career. The 1985 Chicago Bears had the most stifling defense, while the 1989 San Francisco 49ers possessed an unstoppable offense. The eight-year veteran, who had his career shortened by a back injury in 1991, was a starter . The roster on that team was stuffed with talent from Payton to defensive . He couldn't help lobbying for one more: defensive tackle Steve . The '85 Bears are known today as one of the greatest defenses of all time. Dent will finally become the third member of that legendary 1985 Chicago Bears defense to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011, when he joins fellow "Monsters of the Midway" Dan Hampton and Mike Singletary, an honor that his teammates and coaches say is long overdue. Covert, who was part of this year's Hall of Fame induction class, is the lone member of the '85 Bears' offensive line to crack the starting lineup. Known by most as the best defense to ever play the game, the '85 Bears are one of the NFL's most iconic teams. George McAfee. Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famers, Pro Football, Legends, Honors, Player Bios and more . A score of 100 is around the average modern-era inductee. Covert joins all those Hall of Famers he made look good. Four Hall of Famers. Stanford returns a pair of starters and 10 letterwinners from last . Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Singletary tells Rich why the Bears' defense will keep them in games this year and how his '85 Monsters of the Midway Bears w. As specialized as the NFL has become with head coaches like Jon Gruden who play no role in the defense, genius coordinators and assistants like Kiffin and Ryan need to get a hard look by the Hall of Fame voters for their contributions to the game and their successes. Jimbo Covert made the people he played alongside look good, and after a nearly two-decades-long wait, the tough Chicago Bears left tackle will join them in the Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame will premiere ESPN Films' award-winning 30 for 30 series newest film, "The '85 Bears" on Thursday, Feb. 4 and offer additional screenings on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5-6, 2016. Sean Shaffrey. Erik Lambert-Chicago Bears News. In addition, special . 1962 Green Bay Packers- TEN Hall of Famers. Only one regular season loss. Philadelphia Eagles, 1944-51. Wagner is probably the most consistently great, but I think at his peak Kam might've been the best on that whole defense. 22. ET ON NBC . "Absolutely," the Hall of Fame linebacker said when asked by Complex.com. Greenwood was taken in the 10 th round of the 1969 draft by the Steelers. In between, he left behind an unparalled legacy as perhaps the greatest. Hall of Fame quarterbacks Joe Namath and Brett Favre, former . From 1982-1992 the Bears won six NFC Central titles, had dozens of all All-Pro selections and even more Pro Bowl appearances. Sucks that his career got cut short, he was really kinda the biggest standout for a couple years there. 1 of 19. Link icon Copied! The National Football League lost one of its all-time greats on Tuesday morning as former head coach and defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan died at the age of 85. Even though New England went down to defeat against the Bears in Super Bowl XX, the wild ride to get there still ranks . Howley was a Pro Bowl selection . FILE - Former Pittsburgh and Chicago Bears offensive lineman Jim Covert speaks at a news conference for the retirement of his number 75 college jersey before an NCAA college football game between Pittsburgh and Notre Dame in Pittsburgh, in this Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, file photo. In the '85 season, Wilson had 10.5 sacks. On the offensive side of the ball, Jim McMahon, Walter Payton, Jim Covert, and Jay Hilgenberg all . 1. . The number 85 should be retired not for a player, but for a team: the 1985 Chicago Bears. Covert will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 7 as part of the Centennial class. Belichick also could have been thinking of another former Patriots defensive lineman, Vince Wilfork, who becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame for the first time next year. Follow him on Twitter . 5 Ohio State (85-64), No. 1985 Chicago Bears- One loss away from perfection. Bears Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher made a poor read in social-media post Comparing Brett Favre's feat on "Monday Night Football" to NBA players' boycott was tone-deaf, irrelevant and cruel. Perry entered the pop culture lexicon as a member of the infamous '85 Chicago Bears defense. This roster is arguably one of the greatest ever assembled, and more prominently one of the best defenses of all time. 4.45 40yd at 6'5 258lbs (could cover every RB or TE in the league) . In this situation, the Bears are only retiring one more number, so . Of course, he also played fullback in goal line and short yardage situations. Defense Starter The 1985 Bears should go down as the best team in NFL history for their domination and success on the field. So many would be proud to call Urlacher a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Starters, Roster, & Players. Dent will finally become the third member of that legendary 1985 Chicago Bears defense to be inducted into the Hall on Saturday, when he joins fellow ''Monsters of the Midway'' Hampton and Mike . He signed with the Bears in the off-season as a free agent. 1985 Chicago Bears Statistics & Players: Super Bowl XX Champs over Patriots, 15-1 (po:3-0) (1st in NFC Central), Coach: Mike Ditka, ProBowl: Covert, Dent, Duerson, Hampton, Hilgenberg, McMahon, Payton, Singletary, Wilson . . The 1985 Bears featured Hall of Famers Dan Hampton, Mike Singletary, Richard Dent and Walter Payton. The Steelers' 1976 defense was recently voted as the greatest defensive unit in NFL history in a poll created by the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Twitter handle. . The only team ranked ahead of the Super Bowl XX champions is the 1972 Dolphins, the only undefeated Super Bowl winner in NFL history. The 1985 Bears should go down as the best team in NFL history for their domination and success on the field. Won Divisional Round 21-0 vs. New York Giants. Buddy Ryan died at the age of 82 in June 2016. The 1984 Bears' 72 sacks remain the NFL standard, and they posted 70 in a strike-shortened 1987 slate. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of . Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2011. All HOFm Positions: QB RB WR TE G T C DT DE ILB OLB DB K P DT HOFm Leaders Bold indicates HOF player See full explanation here Share & Export Luke Getsy Reputation Described . The Notorious 85' Bears team had Hall of Fame talent on both sides of the ball and was led by All-Time Bears great Mike Ditka. The addition of Johnson and Karras brings . Won Super Bowl 46-10 vs. New England Patriots. His efforts paved the way to a Super Bowl title in '85. Take a look at each of the 30 Bears who have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the most of any team in the NFL. And then there's Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who has not yet been selected to the Hall of Fame but has been one of the NFL's most influential owners for decades. 58-30-3 (.659), 2 championships, 3 title appearances. What follows are the top 30 teams actually 31 because of a tie presented by ascending score. By Josh Nagel. Middle linebacker in a 4-3 defense is one of the toughest jobs in football. Was the heart of the Bears defense for more then 10 years. Five players on the 1985 Bears are in the Hall of Fame. Otis Wilson was the Bears first round pick of the 1980 NFL Draft. Steve McMichael (1981-1993) . His induction this year, along with the late Ed Sprinkle, gives the Bears 30 Hall of Fame players, the largest class in the NFL. Chicago Bears Hall of Fame snubs is significantly long. 1985. These Super Bowl champions had short but memorable stays on the NFL's mountaintop 1985. According to Hall of Fame defensive tackle Alan Page, who played for Ryan in Minnesota and with the . The epitome of great Lombardi teams of the 1960s. '72 DOLPHINS, '85 BEARS, JOE NAMATH, AL DAVIS, JOHN MADDEN & MORE: NBC SPORTS PRESENTS THE NFL FILMS SERIES NFL 100: GREATEST BEGINNING THIS SATURDAY AT 3 P.M. . The 1985 season was the Chicago Bears' 66th in the National Football League the 16th post-season completed in the NFL, and their fourth under head coach Mike Ditka.. Three defensive players on the 1985 Bears team went on to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame .