1984 Chicago Bears-To the Brink
Walter Payton graced the cover of Sports Illustrated many times during his career.  This issue was released after he broke Jim Brown's rushing record in October 1984.
The Bears opened 1984 in a new place-Platteville, WI. Coach Ditka needed his team to get away from any distractions they might face at home, and they spent August 1984 in the cornfields getting ready for the campaign ahead. The team was on the verge of discovering a group of young leaders for the first time, began to show the most dominating defense the league would ever see, and pushed much farther than anyone expected them to go.
There would be no opening day letdown in 1984. Chicago started the season by throttling Tampa Bay 34-14. Then they blanked Denver 27-0 behind a huge day from Walter Payton. This game featured a famous image from Payton's career-a 50+ yard run down the sideline, led by 2nd-year guard Mark Bortz, an 8th round pickup that was converted from defensive tackle. The next week, with Jim McMahon out as the Bears visited Green Bay, reserve QB Bob Avellini took the reigns. Chicago could barely muster a bit of offense, but pulled the game out 9-7. This contest marked the first meeting of Mike Ditka and Forrest Gregg-a rivalry that would go down in history as the dirtiest era in Chicago-Green Bay football. The next week, the Bear's lack of offense really showed as they lost to Seattle 38-9. After this loss, Ditka cut Avellini. The move didn't matter the following week, and the Bears lost to still-powerful Dallas 23-14. A season that started so bright at 3-0 was becoming dimmer, as the team was suddenly 3-2.
On October 7th, excitement was in the air as Walter Payton was poised to become the NFL's all-time leading rusher. Payton accomplished the feat early in the 3rd quarter, and the team derived inspiration from the great running back. They beat the Saints 20-7. They then lost 38-21 in St. Louis. Following this loss, they beat Tampa 44-9 in a blowout, and Minnesota at home, 16-7. Following the Minnesota win came the biggest challenge for the young Bears-a showdown with the world champion Los Angeles Raiders. Looking back, many point to this game as the Bear's pivotal win in their road to the super bowl under Mike Ditka. The Bears did indeed beat the Raiders 17-6, a game that showcased the NFL's leading sacker, Richard Dent, who collected three against Raiders QB Marc Wilson. This game wasn't all full of magic, however, as Jim McMahon was sanwiched on an ill-advised scramble, and the QB suffered a lacerated kidney, sending him to the sidelines for the remainder of the campaign. The team would now have to look to a new signal-caller to guide them to the promised land.
Six-year veteran QB Steve Fuller had been acquired from the Los Angeles Rams prior to the '84 season for insurance in case McMahon was injured. The investment paid off. Fuller guided the Bears to a 2-1 record over the next 3 games. In the third at Minnesota's new HHH Metrodome on November 25th, the team clinched its first NFC Central Divison title. After the Minnesota game, Fuller was injured, and Chicago was faced with its most interesting quarterback problem ever. Ineffective Rusty Lisch replaced the injured fuller and lost the December 3rd game at San Diego, then started the following week against Green Bay at home. Lisch was again ineffective, so Ditka inserted none other than Walter Payton behind center in the shotgun formation. Not for lack of effort, but Payton was ineffective as well, and the Bears lost to the Packers 20-14.
Fuller was expected to return by the playoffs, but Ditka didn't want to limp into the postseason with another loss. Ditka went to "plan Z", and signed 14-year journeyman Greg Landry to start his last NFL game against Detroit, which he helped the Bears win 30-13. Chicago was poised to enter the postseason for the first time since 1979.
The first-round matchup sent the 10-6 Bears to Washington, a team that had played in the previous super bowl and lost to the Los Angeles Raiders. Washington was heavily favored, but Chicago came away with a 23-19 victory that featured TD passes from Fuller as well as Payton on a halfback option pass. The momentum was clearly in the Bear's favor as they travelled to San Francisco for their first appearance in a championship game of any sort since 1963. The line for the game came down steadily as the week wore on, but the Bears were humiliated 23-0. Fuller clearly gave no magic to the team in games against tough opponents, and the offense sputtered as the 49ers keyed to stop Walter Payton all day long. The team had gone farther than anyone gave them the chance to go in 1984, and the season set the stage for magic the following year.
Quote of the Year: "If we keep playing the way we're playing, we're going to win this thing." -Walter Payton, following Bears' 3-0 start.
1984 Record:Preseason 1-3, Regular Season 10-6, Playoffs 1-1
1984 NFL Rankings: Offense 7th Overall, 1st Rush, 26th Pass; Defense 1st Overall, 1st Rush, 2rd Pass
1985 Coaches: Mike Ditka, Head Coach; Buddy Ryan, Defensive Coordinator; Ed Hughes, Offensive Coordinator
DATE
TEAM
RESULT
NOTES
8/4
Cardinals
10-19
Preseason
8/11
Packers
10-17
First Ditka-Gregg fight.
8/18
Bengals
17-25
Preseason
8/26
Bills
38-7
Preseason
9/2
Bucs
34-14
Starting year off right.
9/9
Broncos
27-0
Another Bronco win.
9/16
Packers
9-7
McMahon hurt.
9/23
Seahawks
9-38
Avellini cut.
9/30
Cowboys
14-23
Mac back, not enough.
10/7
Saints
20-7
Payton breaks record.
10/14
Cardinals
21-38
Not enough D.
10/21
Bucs
44-9
Plenty of O.
10/28
Vikings
16-7
Minny win at home.
11/4
Raiders
17-6
Ferocious defense.
11/11
Rams
13-29
Not enough firepower
11/18
Lions
16-14
Bear-ly won
11/25
Vikings
34-3
NFC Central Champs!
12/3
Chargers
7-20
Fuller hurt, O stinks
12/9
Packers
14-20
Payton at QB.
12/16
Lions
30-13
Playoff tuneup
12/30
Redskins
23-19
Playoff win.
1/6
49ers
0-23
Outgunned by the Bay
HOME
AWAY
Passing: Jim McMahon- As is well known, McMahon missed the final six regular season games and the playoffs with a lacerated kidney.  He was on fire prior to the injury, finishing with a 97.8 QB rating.
Rushing: Walter Payton- Simply the best.  Payton rushed for 1684 yards, a 4.4 average, and 11 touchdowns.  And he broke Jim Brown's rushing record.
Receiving Yards: Willie Gault- Gault caught 34 passes for 587 yards and 6 touchdowns.  Payton led in receptions with 45. 
Scoring: Bob Thomas- In his last season with the Bears, Thomas led them in scoring with 101 points.  He was a respectable 22/28 on field goal attempts.
Sacks: Richard Dent- Richard Dent burst on to the scene in his first year as a starter, leading the NFL with 17.5 sacks.
Interceptions: Gary Fencik- Led the team with 5 interceptions from his free safety position.
1984 Usual Starters
Jim McMahon Walter Payton Matt Suhey Willie Gault Dennis McKinnon Jim Covert Mark Bortz Jay Hilgenberg Kurt Becker Keith VanHorne Emery Moorehead Bob Thomas
9 QB
34 RB
26 RB
83 WR
85 WR
74 LT
62 LG
63 C
79 RG
78 RT
87 TE
16 K
Richard Dent Dan Hampton Steve McMichael Mike Hartenstine Al Harris Mike Singletary Otis Wilson Mike Richardson Todd Bell Gary Fencik Leslie Frazier Dave Finzer
95 DE
99 DT
76 DT
73 DE
90 LB
50 MLB
55 LB
27 CB
25 SS
45 FS
21 CB
15 P
Jim McMahon started 10 regular season games prior to his kidney injury against the Raiders. He would play no more in 1984 after that. Steve Fuller started four regular season games and the playoffs. Rusty Lisch started against the Packers, Greg Landry at the Lions and Bob Avellini at Seattle. The offensive line took shape and began their first season of stability that would continue for many years to come. On defense, Richard Dent and Mike Hartenstine manned the defensive end positions and Dan Hampton and Steve McMichael were the tackles. Al Harris and Todd Bell were solid 1984 starters that would sit out the following season. From left to right, Offense: Jim McMahon, Walter Payton, Matt Suhey, Willie Gault, Dennis McKinnon, Jim Covert, Mark Bortz, Jay Hilgenberg, Kurt Becker, Keith Van Horne, Emery Moorehead, Bob Thomas. Defense: Richard Dent, Dan Hampton, Steve McMichael, Mike Hartenstine, Al Harris, Mike Singletary, Otis Wilson, Mike Richardson, Todd Bell, Gary Fencik, Leslie Frazier, Dave Finzer.
4
QB
Steve Fuller
Clemson
6
7
QB
Bob Avellini
Maryland
10
9
QB
Jim McMahon
BYU
3
12
QB
Rusty Lisch
Notre Dame
5
16
K
Bob Thomas
Notre Dame
10
21
CB
Leslie Frazier
Alcorn State
4
22
S
Dave Duerson
Notre Dame
2
23
S
Shaun Gayle
Ohio State
2
24
DB
Jeff Fisher
USC
4
25
S
Todd Bell
Ohio State
4
26
RB
Matt Suhey
Penn State
5
27
CB
Mike Richardson
Arizona St.
2
29
RB
Dennis Gentry
Baylor
3
30
DB
Jack Cameron
Winston Salem
R
32
RB
Anthony Hutchinson
Texas Tech
2
33
RB
Calvin Thomas
Illinois
3
34
RB
Walter Payton
Jackson St.
10
44
DB
Terry Schmidt
Ball St.
11
45
S
Gary Fencik
Yale
9
49
FB
Donald Jordan
Houston
R
50
LB
Mike Singletary
Baylor
4
53
LB
Dan Rains
Cincinnati
3
54
LB
Brian Cabral
Colorado
6
55
LB
Otis Wilson
Louisville
5
58
LB
Wilber Marshall
Fl. State
R
59
LB
Ron Rivera
Cal
R
60
OL
Tom Andrews
Louisville
R
62
OL
Mark Bortz
Iowa
2
63
C
Jay Hilgenberg
Iowa
3
64
OL
Rob Fada
Pitt
2
68
DT
Jim Osborne
Southern
13
71
T
Andy Frederick
New Mexico
8
73
DL
Mike Hartenstine
Penn State
10
74
T
Jim Covert
Pitt
2
75
OL
Stefan Humphries
Michigan
R
76
DT
Steve McMichael
Texas
5
78
T
Keith Van Horne
USC
4
79
G
Kurt Becker
Michigan
3
81
TE
Jay Saldi
S. Carolina
9
83
WR
Willie Gault
Tennessee
2
84
WR
Brian Baschnagel
Ohio State
9
85
WR
Dennis McKinnon
Fl. State
2
86
WR
Brad Anderson
Arizona
R
87
TE
Emery Moorehead
Colorado
8
90
LB-DE
Al Harris
Arizona St.
6
95
DE
Richard Dent
Tenn. St.
2
98
DL
Tyrone Keys
Miss. St.
2
99
DL
Dan Hampton
Arkansas
6
Sign of things to Come?
Mike Ditka has made it well known in the years since his 1992 firing that he is a "Halas kind of guy, not a McCaskey kind of guy." Even in 1984, there were concerns that Michael McCaskey, in his second year as Bears CEO, would not give him a contract extension.
The following is an excerpt from a December 6, 1984 story by the Chicago Tribune's Don Pierson, which appeared in the Bear Report:
(In 1983) it was no surprise to anybody that Ditka was not offered a contract extension by the regime that did not hire him. Ditka said he did not ask for an extension either, even if he thought he deserved one. McCaskey, preferring the strictly businesslike approach to his corporation, expressed the intention to withhold all action on Ditka's future until fourth quarter profits were counted, as it were. When the season ended, McCaskey would gather the evidence, consult his balance sheets, call a board meeting, take a vote, and come to a conclusion. All neat and tidy. This all made sense on paper. For a while, it all made sense in practice. Then something happened that few people could have foreseen: the Bears won the NFC Central Division title going away. They were dominating their division like no team since the 1976 Minnesota Vikings. It remains true that the Bears could fold at the finish and perhaps justify McCaskey's patience. But the overwhelming evidence is that the decision already has been made for him: he should rehire Ditka. The delay serves no purpose anymore.
McCaskey did announce a contract extension for Ditka prior to the NFC Championship game loss.  But this story offers interesting insight into future events. 
The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers met for the final time during the preseason in 1984. The game featured the first matchup, and near fisticuffs, of coaches Mike Ditka and Forrest Gregg. It apparently was not a good year between fans and Bear quarterbacks. Bob Avellini, a Bear for 10 seasons, was released following the Seahawk game, and he told the media Ditka told him it was because the fans ran him out of town. It was also reported that Jim McMahon threw his helmet at a fan following the home loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Walter Payton broke Jim Brown's NFL all-time rushing yards record against New Orleans. Following the game, he spoke to President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan from the locker room. The Bears won a "statement" game over the defending NFL champion Los Angeles Raiders on November 4th, with the defense terrorizing Raider quarterbacks. Unfortunately Bear starter Jim McMahon was lost for the season with a lacerated kidney. In response to this injury, the following season the NFL issued all quarterbacks "flak jackets" that covered the lower abdomen. These are still worn by all quarterbacks today. In a later game, backup quarterback Steve Fuller injured his shoulder while running the same play he sustained an injury while running in the preseason. Ditka said the Bears would never run the play again. Fuller's injury led to the elevation of third-stringer Rusty Lisch, who played horribly. It got so bad that Walter Payton lined up at quarterback in the loss vs. Green Bay. For the season finale, Chicago signed 38 year old Greg Landry to start. Fuller returned for the playoffs. In that season finale at Detroit, the Bears tied an NFL record by sacking Lion quarterbacks 12 times. This also set an NFL record for most sacks in a season with 72.
A supplemental draft is held in June for the purpose of selecting men leaving the crumbling USFL. Tampa Bay selects QB Steve Young first overall. The Bears' 46 defense, designed by coordinator Buddy Ryan, begins to confound teams across the league. Annual contenders Miami, Pittsburgh, Washington and San Francisco win their divisions, and Denver wins the NFC West behind the maturing John Elway. Chicago controls the now-weak NFC Central, winning their first championship of any sort since 1963 with the division crown. The Steelers weakly win the AFC Central on a 9-7 record, then advance to the AFC Championship game where they are defeated 45-28 by the Dolphins. Chicago deals the Redskins their first playoff loss at RFK Stadium in history, then are blown out 23-0 at San Francisco in the conference championship. The 49ers beat Miami 38-16 in Super Bowl 19 in Palo Alto, CA>
1984 Bears Draft
Rd
Pos
Name
School
1
LB
Wilber Marshall
Florida
2
LB
Ron Rivera
California
3
G
Stefan Humphries
Michigan
4
G
Tom Andrews
Louisville
5-To Washington
6-To Dallas
7
RB
Nakita Robertson
C. Arkansas
8
WR
Brad Anderson
Arizona
9a-To San Francisco
9b
QB
Mark Casale
Montclair St.
10a
TE
Kurt Vestman
Idaho
10b
DB
Shaun Gayle
Ohio State
11a-To Rams for QB Steve Fuller
11b
DT
Mark Butkus
Illinois
12a-To San Francisco
12b
RB
Donald Jordan
Houston
1984 Bears Trades
1984 and 1985 picks to LA Rams for quarterback Steve Fuller
Various draft day trades
1984 Bears Free Agent Signings
DB Jack Cameron
1984 Bears Retirements
Jim Osborne, DT
1985 Chicago Bears Awards
NFC Central Division Champs
Divisional Playoff Victory
Walter Payton, RB, Pro Bowl (8)
Todd Bell, S, Pro Bowl (1)
Richard Dent, DE, Pro Bowl (1)
Dan Hampton, DT, Pro Bowl (3)
Mike Singletary, LB, Pro Bowl (2)








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