1986 Chicago Bears season

1986 Chicago Bears season
Head coach	Mike Ditka (5th season)
General manager	Jerry Vainisi (Since 1983)
Owner	The McCaskey Family (Family control since 1921; Virginia McCaskey since 1983)
Home field	Soldier Field
Results
Record	14–2
Division place	1st NFC Central
Playoff finish	Lost Divisional Playoffs (Redskins) 27–13
Pro Bowlers	7 RB Walter Payton LT Jimbo Covert C Jay Hilgenberg DT Steve McMichael LB Wilber Marshall MLB Mike Singletary SS Dave Duerson
AP All-Pros	11 WR Dennis Gentry RB Walter Payton RB Neal Anderson LT Jimbo Covert C Jay Hilgenberg DE Dan Hampton DT Steve McMichael LB Wilber Marshall MLB Mike Singletary CB Mike Richardson SS Dave Duerson
← 1985 Bears seasons 1987 →

1 2 3 4 Total Browns 7 7 7 10 31 • Bears 21 3 7 10 41 Date: Sunday, September 7 Location: Soldier Field, Chicago Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game attendance: 66,030 Game weather: 63°F; (Sunny) wind 9 TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen

Scoring summary Q1 CLE Gross recovered fumble in end zone (Bahr kick) CLE 7–0 Q1 CHI Gentry 91 yard kickoff return (Butler kick) Tie 7–7 Q1 CHI Payton 2 yard run (Butler kick) CHI 14–7 Q1 CHI Marshall 58 yard interception return (Butler kick) CHI 21–7 Q2 CLE Mack 3 yard run (Bahr kick) CHI 21–14 Q2 CHI Butler 47 yard field goal CHI 24–14 Q3 CLE Mack 14 yard run (Bahr kick) CHI 24–21 Q3 CHI Payton 11 yard pass from McMahon (Butler kick) CHI 31–21 Q4 CLE Bahr 22 yard field goal CHI 31–24 Q4 CHI Butler 19 yard field goal CHI 34–24 Q4 CLE Brennan 15 yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick) CHI 34–31 Q4 CHI Suhey 6 yard run (Butler kick) CHI 41–31

Scoring summary
Q1		CLE	Gross recovered fumble in end zone (Bahr kick)	CLE 7–0
Q1		CHI	Gentry 91 yard kickoff return (Butler kick)	Tie 7–7
Q1		CHI	Payton 2 yard run (Butler kick)	CHI 14–7
Q1		CHI	Marshall 58 yard interception return (Butler kick)	CHI 21–7
Q2		CLE	Mack 3 yard run (Bahr kick)	CHI 21–14
Q2		CHI	Butler 47 yard field goal	CHI 24–14
Q3		CLE	Mack 14 yard run (Bahr kick)	CHI 24–21
Q3		CHI	Payton 11 yard pass from McMahon (Butler kick)	CHI 31–21
Q4		CLE	Bahr 22 yard field goal	CHI 31–24
Q4		CHI	Butler 19 yard field goal	CHI 34–24
Q4		CLE	Brennan 15 yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick)	CHI 34–31
Q4		CHI	Suhey 6 yard run (Butler kick)	CHI 41–31

Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears

1 2 3 4 OT Total Eagles 3 0 0 7 0 10 • Bears 0 0 10 0 3 13 Date: Sunday, September 14 Location: Soldier Field, Chicago Game start: 12:00 p.m. CST Game attendance: 65,130 Game weather: 66°F, (Cloudy) wind 12 mph Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com

Scoring summary 1 Eagles Paul McFadden 49-yard field goal Eagles 3–0 3 Bears Walter Payton 1-yard run (Kevin Butler kick) Bears 7–3 3 Bears Kevin Butler 23-yard field goal Bears 10–3 4 Eagles Mike Quick 26-yard pass from Ron Jaworski (Paul McFadden kick) Tie 10–10 OT Bears Kevin Butler 23-yard field goal Bears 13–10

Scoring summary
1		Eagles	Paul McFadden 49-yard field goal	Eagles 3–0
3		Bears	Walter Payton 1-yard run (Kevin Butler kick)	Bears 7–3
3		Bears	Kevin Butler 23-yard field goal	Bears 10–3
4		Eagles	Mike Quick 26-yard pass from Ron Jaworski (Paul McFadden kick)	Tie 10–10
OT		Bears	Kevin Butler 23-yard field goal	Bears 13–10

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

1 2 3 4 Total Packers 0 0 3 7 10 • Bears 2 7 0 3 12 Date: Sunday, November 23 Location: Soldier Field, Chicago Game start: 12:00 p.m. CST Game weather: 41°F, wind 13 mph Referee: Jerry Markbreit Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com

Scoring summary 1 Bears Safety, Kenneth Davis tackled by Dan Hampton in end zone Bears 2–0 2 Bears Dennis Gentry recovered fumble in end zone (Kevin Butler kick) Bears 9–0 3 Packers Al Del Greco 22-yard field goal Bears 9–3 4 Packers Ed West 46-yard pass from Randy Wright (Al Del Greco kick) Packers 10–9 4 Bears Kevin Butler 32-yard field goal Bears 12–10

Scoring summary
1		Bears	Safety, Kenneth Davis tackled by Dan Hampton in end zone	Bears 2–0
2		Bears	Dennis Gentry recovered fumble in end zone (Kevin Butler kick)	Bears 9–0
3		Packers	Al Del Greco 22-yard field goal	Bears 9–3
4		Packers	Ed West 46-yard pass from Randy Wright (Al Del Greco kick)	Packers 10–9
4		Bears	Kevin Butler 32-yard field goal	Bears 12–10

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions

1 2 3 4 Total • Bears 0 3 0 13 16 Lions 3 3 7 0 13 Date: Monday, December 15 Location: Pontiac Silverdome, Detroit, Michigan Game start: 9:00 p.m. CST Game weather: Indoors (dome) Television network: ABC Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com

Scoring summary 1 Lions Eddie Murray 52-yard field goal Lions 3–0 2 Bears Kevin Butler 41-yard field goal Tie 3–3 2 Lions Eddie Murray 39-yard field goal Lions 6–3 3 Lions Leonard Thompson 4-yard pass from Chuck Long (Eddie Murray kick) Lions 13–3 4 Bears Kevin Butler 32-yard field goal Lions 13–6 4 Bears Matt Suhey 4-yard run (Kevin Butler kick) Tie 13–13 4 Bears Kevin Butler 22-yard field goal Bears 16–13

Scoring summary
1		Lions	Eddie Murray 52-yard field goal	Lions 3–0
2		Bears	Kevin Butler 41-yard field goal	Tie 3–3
2		Lions	Eddie Murray 39-yard field goal	Lions 6–3
3		Lions	Leonard Thompson 4-yard pass from Chuck Long (Eddie Murray kick)	Lions 13–3
4		Bears	Kevin Butler 32-yard field goal	Lions 13–6
4		Bears	Matt Suhey 4-yard run (Kevin Butler kick)	Tie 13–13
4		Bears	Kevin Butler 22-yard field goal	Bears 16–13

Chicago Bears at Dallas Cowboys

1 2 3 4 Total • Bears 7 14 3 0 24 Cowboys 0 0 0 10 10 Date: Sunday, December 21 Location: Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas Game start: 3:00 p.m. CST Game weather: 47°F, wind 8 mph Referee: Fred Wyant Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com

Scoring summary 1 Bears Walter Payton 1-yard run (Kevin Butler kick) Bears 7–0 2 Bears Neal Anderson 58-yard pass from Doug Flutie (Kevin Butler kick) Bears 14–0 2 Bears Willie Gault 33-yard pass from Doug Flutie (Kevin Butler kick) Bears 21–0 3 Bears Kevin Butler 31-yard field goal Bears 24–0 4 Cowboys Rafael Septien 50-yard field goal Bears 24–3 4 Cowboys Mike Renfro 11-yard pass from Steve Pelluer (Rafael Septien kick) Bears 24–10

The 1986 Chicago Bears season was their 67th regular season and 17th post-season completed in the National Football League. The Bears entered the season looking to repeat as Super Bowl champions, as they had won in 1985. Chicago managed to finish 14–2, one game off of their 1985 record of 15–1, and tied the New York Giants for the league's best record.

After winning the championship in 1985, the team seemed like a dynasty in the making. However, quarterback Jim McMahon showed up to training camp 25 pounds overweight – the product of the post-Super Bowl partying he'd partaken in. Nonetheless, he was once again named as the starter. Injuries, however, derailed his season. McMahon played in only six of the team's first 12 games.

In week 12, McMahon was on the receiving end of one of the most vicious hits in NFL history. In a game against the Green Bay Packers, McMahon was blindsided by Packers defensive lineman Charles Martin. Martin had gone into the game with a of Bears players. McMahon was his first victim. After McMahon threw an interception, Martin hoisted the quarterback into the air and slammed him into the ground, a few seconds after the play had ended. McMahon writhed on the ground in pain, having suffered a separated shoulder. He was out for the remainder of the year. Still, the Bears won that game, and went undefeated for the rest of the regular season as well. McMahon's loss may have been a blessing in disguise, as by any standard, he was having a horrible season.

Aided by a strong offensive line, the Bears were once again led on offense by Walter Payton. Payton remained his usual stellar self, posting his 10th and final 1000-yard season. With McMahon's poor play, as well as the equally poor play of backups Mike Tomczak, Steve Fuller and Doug Flutie, Payton was the sole spark on offense, which ranked 13th in the NFL.

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