1985 Chicago Bears season
The 1985 season was the Chicago Bears' 66th in the National Football League and their fourth under head coach Mike Ditka. 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. The Bears not only improved on that record, they put together what would be considered by many football historians the greatest season in NFL history.
The Bears won their first twelve games of the season before losing to the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. The loss to the Dolphins would be the only loss the Bears would suffer that season, as they finished with a 15–1 record. 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 and 2004 before the New England Patriots ended the 2007 NFL season with a 16–0 regular season record.
The Bears' defense was ranked first in the league and only allowed 198 total points. The Bears won the NFC Central Division by seven games over the second-place Green Bay Packers and earned home-field advantage throughout the playoffs as the NFC’s top seed at Soldier Field. In their two playoff games against the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams, the Bears outscored their opponents 45–0 and became the first team to record back-to-back playoff shutouts.
Then, in Super Bowl XX at the Louisiana Superdome against the New England Patriots, the Bears set several more records. 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. Their 36-point margin of victory also topped the 29-point margin of victory that the Raiders recorded over the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII. 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, 55–10. This was the Bears' first championship since 1963 and is their most recent title.
The 1985 Chicago Bears are one of the few teams to consistently challenge the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins for the title of the greatest NFL team of all time. 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. They also ranked #2 behind only the Dolphins on the 100 greatest teams of all time presented by the NFL on its 100th anniversary. Other sources rate the 1985 Chicago Bears as the greatest NFL team ever.
The defense led the league in points allowed, yards allowed and takeaways, a feat that was not accomplished again until the 2013 Seattle Seahawks defense.
Offseason
Transactions
Signings
After the draft, the Bears signed 3 undrafted free agents, quarterback Mike Tomczak from Ohio State, along with defensive back Ken Taylor and receiver Keith Ortego of Oregon State and McNeese State, respectively.Trades
In a trade with the San Diego Chargers, the Bears acquired linebacker Cliff Thrift and punter Maury Buford by trading away their 12th round draft picks from 1985 and 1986, respectively.Contractual issues
During training camp, seven players, including Mike Singletary, Steve McMichael, Keith Van Horne and rookie William Perry, were either unsigned or holding out due to their contracts. Perry, McMichael and Van Horne eventually reported to training camp. Perry held out until August 5, when he signed a four-year, $1.35 million contract. However, after an unimpressive showing at training camp, defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan tabbed Perry as a "wasted draft-pick". Before the team's season opening game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, players Al Harris, Todd Bell and Richard Dent requested to be traded. 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. Bell played for $77,000 the year before, and made the 1985 Pro Bowl roster, but asked for $950,000 annually, which would have made him the highest-paid player on the team. Bell and Harris would eventually hold out for the season.1985 NFL draft
Undrafted free agents
| Player | Position | College |
| Ken Cruz | Quarterback | Illinois |
| Curtis Garrett | Defensive tackle | Illinois State |
| Kevin Gray | Defensive back | Eastern Illinois |
| John Hill | Defensive back | Duke |
| Stan Johnson | Wide receiver | Wisconsin–La Crosse |
| Bruce Kallmeyer | Kicker | Kansas |
| Don Kindt Jr. | Tight end | Wisconsin–La Crosse |
| Mike Tomczak | Quarterback | Ohio State |
| Mike Viracola | Punter | Notre Dame |
Staff
Roster
Preseason
Schedule
Regular season
Schedule
Game summaries
Regular season
Week 1: vs. Buccaneers
In the season opener against the Bucs, the Bears defense seemed lost for much of the first half of the game by allowing 28 points, and trailed 28–17 at halftime, but the offense was able to lead the Bears to a victory after Jim McMahon scored 3 touchdowns, with Matt Suhey scoring on another. Leslie Frazier was also able to give the Bears defense their first highlight of the season by returning a Steve DeBerg interception 29 yards for a touchdown on the second play of the third quarter. The Bears had allowed 212 yards in the first half, but eventually allowed only 95 in the second half. Walter Payton had rushed for 120 yards on 17 carries, and McMahon completed 23/34 passes for 274 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.Week 2: vs. Patriots
In the Super Bowl XX preview, the Bears defense was able to find their groove by forcing 4 turnovers by New England and only allowing 7 points.Week 3: at Vikings
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. With the Bears trailing the Vikings, an anxious McMahon was allowed to return to the game. Without any delay, McMahon famously spearheaded a Bears comeback and victory.Week 4: vs. Redskins
Week 4 saw Chicago trailing 10-0 early to the Joe Theismann-led Washington Redskins. They would score the next forty-five points. One play turned the game, a 99-yard kickoff return by Willie Gault. 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. On the next possession, Theismann punted for 1 yard, and Chicago scored on the very next play to take a 14–10 lead, and they cruised from there including Walter Payton and Jim McMahon exchanging touchdowns passes to one another.Week 5: at Buccaneers
After three second-quarter scoring drives by Tampa Bay, the Bears faced a 120 deficit. Kevin Butler's 30-yard field goal got Chicago on the scoreboard before halftime. Jim McMahon's 21-yard pass to Dennis McKinnon opened the second half scoring, and Walter Payton gave the Bears some breathing room with two fourth quarter touchdowns runs.Week 6: at 49ers
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. In return for 49ers coach Bill Walsh’s idea of sending lineman Guy McIntyre in as fullback the season before, Mike Ditka sent in rookie William Perry, but as a runner rather than a blocker. Shortly after the game and the flight back to Chicago, Ditka was arrested for DWI.This was the Bears’ last victory at Candlestick Park, and their last win at San Francisco until 2014 at Levi's Stadium.