1989 Chicago Bears season
Encyclopedia
The 1989 Chicago Bears
season was their 70th regular season
completed in the National Football League
. The club posted a 6-10 record, and did not make the playoffs for the first time since 1983
.
, NFL owners and players ratified a new free agency plan. The plan would force teams to designated 37 players as "protected", with the rest becoming free agents able to sign with any team during the months of March and April. The first 1989 winds of change began to blow when the team left long-time veteran Super Bowl
champion players Otis Wilson
and Mike C. Richardson unprotected. Al Davis
' Los Angeles Raiders signed both players, but neither would make the club that year and would be forced to retire. Another veteran of note unprotected was linebacker/defensive end Al Harris
, who signed with Buddy Ryan
's Philadelphia Eagles
.
Changes to the organization and team continued throughout the spring. Longtime offensive coordinator Ed Hughes
was "promoted" to the title of assistant Head Coach, which simply meant that assistant Greg Landry
took over as offensive coordinator while Hughes was relegated to coaching receivers. Head coach Mike Ditka announced at this time that that starting quarterback position was up for grabs, meaning incumbents Jim McMahon
, Mike Tomczak
and 1987 first-round draft pick Jim Harbaugh
would battle for the starting role. McMahon had started the previous NFC Championship Game
but couldn't muster the team to more than three points, so his long-standing starting job was by no means safe.
and running back Brad Muster
, and in 1989 it was thought that urgent help would be needed on defense, with the loss of Wilson, Richardson, and Harris. Additional depth on the defensive line was needed as well, given that William Perry
and Richard Dent
had missed significant time in 1988 due to injury.
Not only did the Bears have two first-rounders in 1989, they actually had three. They owned their own pick, number 25, and also had the 11th pick from the Raiders as part of the 1988 Willie Gault
trade, and the 12th from the Washington Redskins
for Wilber Marshall
following the 1987 NFL Season
. On draft day, the Bears selected cornerback Donnell Woolford
11th overall, then spent the 12th pick on Florida
defensive end Trace Armstrong
. Feeling good about the first two picks, and needing additional depth, the Bears traded the 25th pick to the Miami Dolphins
for their high second and third-round picks. Additional wheeling and dealing gave the Bears a whopping 20 selections over the Draft's 12 rounds. Roughly eight of those players made the team and contribute. One that did not was ninth-round pick Byron Sanders from Northwestern
. Byron's brother Barry had been selected by the Detroit Lions
with the third overall selection.
In Armstrong, Woolford, and John Roper, a linebacker selected with the second-round pick obtained from Miami, the Bears had their replacements for Wilson, Richardson and Harris. Chicago used the other pick obtained from Miami on offensive lineman Jerry Fontenot
. Were it not for the two picks obtained from the Dolphins, and the two first-rounders the Bears would have had virtually nothing long-term from this 20-player draft.
But it was not the 1989 Draft that would harm the 1989 Bears-although the '89 draft would have a lot to do with the demise of the team leading up to Mike Ditka's dismissal three years later. One of the nails in the '89 coffin were failures high in the 1985-1988 drafts. A second-rounder was blown in 1985 on cornerback Reggie Phillips
, released in 1988. 1989's second 2nd round pick was tackle Dave Zawatson
, who did not make the 1990 roster. Third-round busts were James Maness in '85, David Williams
in '86, the pick trade for Doug Flutie
in 1987, and Ralph Jarvis in 1988. Fourth-round picks such as Paul Blair
('86) and Sean Smith ('87) weren't much better. the San Francisco 49ers
built their late-decade dynasty around middle-round picks like Tom Rathman
, Charles Haley
and John Taylor
during those years, while the Bears failed to restock as the Super Bowl Team of 1985 aged. This, along with letting Pro Bowl
ers like Marshall and Gault leave, would force their ultimate downfall for more than a decade.
held out briefly in hopes of renegotiating the contract he had signed the previous season, and William Perry
, Dave Duerson
and Shaun Gayle
missed several days before signing. The Most notable holdouts were the first round picks, Armstrong and Woolford. The former missed the first three weeks of camp, while the latter didn't sign until after the first preseason game. These holdouts would trigger a unique change in Bears draft philosophy the following season.
days before the Chargers traveled to Soldier Field for a preseason meeting with the Bears. Hughes retired from the team shortly after the McMahon trade, stating he lost interest in coaching and that losing McMahon had no influence with his final decision to retire.
Prior to traveling to Minneapolis to face the Minnesota Vikings
in December, the Bears stayed for three days at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
to practice in their indoor facilities. There were protests by Madison residents over the university allowing the Chicago Bears to train in Wisconsin
.
With McMahon gone, Tomczak started the season at quarterback, with Harbaugh backing him up. Ditka felt good enough about the duo that he did not keep a third quarterback on the active roster.
at Soldier Field. It was the defending AFC Champs versus the NFC runners-up, and the Bears endured 20-17, despite Tomczak throwing an interception on his first pass attempt of the season. Defensive lineman Dan Hampton
, playing in his 11th season, sacked Bengal quarterback Boomer Esiason
twice and blocked a field goal attempt. He also displayed refreshing candor in his postgame interview. Asked to comment on fullback Brad Muster's fumble with 1:29 left in the game, Hampton said "If I had a knife, I would have stabbed him."
The following week Chicago hosted the Minnesota Vikings, who had swept the Bears the previous season. The Bears and Vikings stayed close the first three quarters, with Chicago holding a 10-7 fourth-quarter lead. In the final period, the Bears busted out for four touchdowns, ultimately beating the visitors 38-7.
The Bears moved to 3-0 with a win in the season's third week at Detroit, a game in which the offense racked up 542 net yards and 47 points. The Bears' expected strong start set up a miracle match-up for ABC
's Monday Night Football
, as the 2-1 Philadelphia Eagles
traveled to Soldier Field to face the undefeated Bears. The week preceding the game was filled with the drama of the Ditka-Buddy Ryan
rivalry. Despite brash talk from Ryan, the Bears prevailed 27-13 and embarrassed the visitors on many fronts. Ditka used his usual sarcasm following the game, stating "I'm not surprised (about the 4-0 start), but I think a lot of people must be surprised, that we beat Cincinnati, Minnesota, Detroit and Philadelphia. We must be awfully lucky."
Then they lost 10 of the last 12 games. One of the 10 losses came at Lambeau Field
in Green Bay
, The Bears led late in the game, but the Packer quarterback Don Majkowski
threw a controversial game-winning touchdown pass to Sterling Sharpe
to give the Packers a 14-13 win. The loss was so hard for Bears head coach Mike Ditka
that in the 1990 Bears Media Guide, he put the game in the 1989 game-by-game results as the instant replay
game.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
season was their 70th regular season
Regular season (NFL)
The National Football League regular season begins the weekend after Labor Day. Each team plays 16 games during a 17-week period. Traditionally, the majority of each week's games are played on Sunday afternoon, with weekly games on Sunday night and Monday night, and occasional games on Thursday...
completed in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. The club posted a 6-10 record, and did not make the playoffs for the first time since 1983
1983 Chicago Bears season
The 1983 Chicago Bears season was their 64th regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted an 8-8 record under second year head coach Mike Ditka, but missed postseason play. Jim McMahon was the quarterback...
.
Winds of Change
In the winter of 1989 after Super Bowl XXIIISuper Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
, NFL owners and players ratified a new free agency plan. The plan would force teams to designated 37 players as "protected", with the rest becoming free agents able to sign with any team during the months of March and April. The first 1989 winds of change began to blow when the team left long-time veteran Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
champion players Otis Wilson
Otis Wilson
Otis Ray Wilson is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Raiders. He won a Super Bowl as a member of the 1985 Chicago Bears...
and Mike C. Richardson unprotected. Al Davis
Al Davis
Allen "Al" Davis was an American football executive. He was the principal owner of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League from 1970 to 2011...
' Los Angeles Raiders signed both players, but neither would make the club that year and would be forced to retire. Another veteran of note unprotected was linebacker/defensive end Al Harris
Al Harris (defensive lineman)
Alfred Carl Harris is a former professional American football defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears during the early 1980s. He played with the team from 1979 to 1984...
, who signed with Buddy Ryan
Buddy Ryan
James David "Buddy" Ryan is a former American NFL football coach.-Early years:Ryan was born and reared in a small, agricultural-based community "just outside of Frederick, Oklahoma." Ryan played college football for Oklahoma A&M University where he earned four letters as a guard between 1952 and...
's Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Changes to the organization and team continued throughout the spring. Longtime offensive coordinator Ed Hughes
Ed Hughes
Edward D. Hughes was an American football player and coach whose career spanned more than three decades...
was "promoted" to the title of assistant Head Coach, which simply meant that assistant Greg Landry
Greg Landry
Gregory Paul Landry is a former American football player and coach who played quarterback in the National Football League from 1968 to 1981 and again in 1984...
took over as offensive coordinator while Hughes was relegated to coaching receivers. Head coach Mike Ditka announced at this time that that starting quarterback position was up for grabs, meaning incumbents Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
, Mike Tomczak
Mike Tomczak
Michael John "Mike" Tomczak is a former American football player. Tomczak played quarterback for several NFL teams including the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers....
and 1987 first-round draft pick Jim Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh
James Joseph "Jim" Harbaugh is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Harbaugh agreed to a five-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on January 7, 2011. Previously, he was the head coach at...
would battle for the starting role. McMahon had started the previous NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
but couldn't muster the team to more than three points, so his long-standing starting job was by no means safe.
The 1989 NFL Draft
What was good news for the Bears was that for the second straight season, they owned multiple picks in the first round of the draft. 1988 had brought young defensive talent in receiver Wendell DavisWendell Davis
Wendell Tyrone Davis is a former professional American football wide receiver who played for the Chicago Bears for six seasons from 1988 to 1993. He was selected by the Bears in the 1st round in the 1988 NFL Draft...
and running back Brad Muster
Brad Muster
Brad William Muster is a former American football fullback in the NFL for the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints from 1988 to 1994.Muster prepped at San Marin High School in Novato, CA, graduating in 1983....
, and in 1989 it was thought that urgent help would be needed on defense, with the loss of Wilson, Richardson, and Harris. Additional depth on the defensive line was needed as well, given that William Perry
William Perry
William James Perry is an American businessman and engineer who was the United States Secretary of Defense from February 3, 1994, to January 23, 1997, under President Bill Clinton...
and Richard Dent
Richard Dent
Richard Lamar Dent is a former American football defensive end, who played primarily for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was the MVP of Super Bowl XX...
had missed significant time in 1988 due to injury.
Not only did the Bears have two first-rounders in 1989, they actually had three. They owned their own pick, number 25, and also had the 11th pick from the Raiders as part of the 1988 Willie Gault
Willie Gault
Willie James Gault is a former American football wide receiver and Olympic athlete. Gault played in the National Football League for 11 seasons for the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Raiders. He was a member of the Bears team that won Super Bowl XX, and was also a member of the U.S. Olympic team...
trade, and the 12th from the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
for Wilber Marshall
Wilber Marshall
Wilber Buddyhia Marshall is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League for twelve seasons during the 1980s and 1990s...
following the 1987 NFL Season
1987 NFL season
The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15. The games that were scheduled for the third week of the season were canceled, but the games for weeks 4–6 were played with replacement players...
. On draft day, the Bears selected cornerback Donnell Woolford
Donnell Woolford
Donnell Woolford is a former professional American football cornerback who was selected by the Chicago Bears in the 1st round of the 1989 NFL Draft. Woolford played in 10 NFL seasons for the Bears from 1989 to 1997, the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1997 to 1998 and Carolina Panthers from 1998-1999...
11th overall, then spent the 12th pick on Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
defensive end Trace Armstrong
Trace Armstrong
Raymond Lester "Trace" Armstrong, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League for fifteen seasons from the late 1980s to the early 2000s...
. Feeling good about the first two picks, and needing additional depth, the Bears traded the 25th pick to the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for their high second and third-round picks. Additional wheeling and dealing gave the Bears a whopping 20 selections over the Draft's 12 rounds. Roughly eight of those players made the team and contribute. One that did not was ninth-round pick Byron Sanders from Northwestern
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. Byron's brother Barry had been selected by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
with the third overall selection.
In Armstrong, Woolford, and John Roper, a linebacker selected with the second-round pick obtained from Miami, the Bears had their replacements for Wilson, Richardson and Harris. Chicago used the other pick obtained from Miami on offensive lineman Jerry Fontenot
Jerry Fontenot
Jerry Paul Fontenot Jerry Paul Fontenot Jerry Paul Fontenot (born November 21, 1966 in Lafayette, Louisiana was an American football Center in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals. Fontenot attended Texas A&M University....
. Were it not for the two picks obtained from the Dolphins, and the two first-rounders the Bears would have had virtually nothing long-term from this 20-player draft.
But it was not the 1989 Draft that would harm the 1989 Bears-although the '89 draft would have a lot to do with the demise of the team leading up to Mike Ditka's dismissal three years later. One of the nails in the '89 coffin were failures high in the 1985-1988 drafts. A second-rounder was blown in 1985 on cornerback Reggie Phillips
Reggie Phillips
Reginald Keith Phillips is a former American football defensive back in the National Football League. He played for the Chicago Bears and Phoenix Cardinals...
, released in 1988. 1989's second 2nd round pick was tackle Dave Zawatson
Dave Zawatson
David Francis Zawatson is a former American football offensive guard in the National Football League. He played for the Chicago Bears , the New York Jets , the Miami Dolphins , and the Atlanta Falcons . Zawatson attended the University of California at Berkeley....
, who did not make the 1990 roster. Third-round busts were James Maness in '85, David Williams
David Williams (wide receiver)
David Williams is a former American football wide receiver. Williams was named consensus All-American twice at the University of Illinois, and is an inducted member of the College Football Hall of Fame....
in '86, the pick trade for Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
in 1987, and Ralph Jarvis in 1988. Fourth-round picks such as Paul Blair
Paul Blair (American football)
Paul Blair was a professional football player for the Latrobe Athletic Association in 1904. He was also the brother of Latrobe player, Eddie Blair. After the 1904 season, Blair was killed when he was hit by train walking along the Pennsylvania Railroad line between Latrobe, Pennsylvania and Derry....
('86) and Sean Smith ('87) weren't much better. the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
built their late-decade dynasty around middle-round picks like Tom Rathman
Tom Rathman
Thomas Dean Rathman is a former American football fullback who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders . He is currently the running backs coach for the 49ers.-High school:...
, Charles Haley
Charles Haley
Charles Lewis Haley is a former American football linebacker and defensive end in the National Football League who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys . He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL Draft out of James Madison University...
and John Taylor
John Taylor (American football player)
John Gregory Taylor is a former American football wide receiver with the San Francisco 49ers. Taylor attended Pennsauken High School and was one of six NFL players to come from PHS during the 1980s. Taylor attended Delaware State College and was a member of their football team, the Hornets...
during those years, while the Bears failed to restock as the Super Bowl Team of 1985 aged. This, along with letting Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
ers like Marshall and Gault leave, would force their ultimate downfall for more than a decade.
Training Camp drama
Training camp 1989 opened with the usual holdouts that were common in the 1980s, even though without tree free agency players had no real leverage. Steve McMichaelSteve McMichael
-World Wrestling Federation :After the end of his NFL career, he appeared at ringside in the WWF for Lawrence Taylor at WrestleMania XI on April 2, 1995 in Hartford, Connecticut. Taylor was wrestling Bam Bam Bigelow and there were several football players at ringside to keep wrestlers from...
held out briefly in hopes of renegotiating the contract he had signed the previous season, and William Perry
William Perry
William James Perry is an American businessman and engineer who was the United States Secretary of Defense from February 3, 1994, to January 23, 1997, under President Bill Clinton...
, Dave Duerson
Dave Duerson
David Russell Duerson was an American football safety in the National Football League who played for the Chicago Bears , the New York Giants , and the Phoenix Cardinals .-Early life:...
and Shaun Gayle
Shaun Gayle
Shaun Lanard Gayle is a former American football cornerback/safety in the NFL. He played twelve seasons, eleven for the Chicago Bears , and one for the San Diego Chargers . He was a member of the Bears squad that won Super Bowl XX in 1985. He was also a member of the "Shuffling Crew" in the video...
missed several days before signing. The Most notable holdouts were the first round picks, Armstrong and Woolford. The former missed the first three weeks of camp, while the latter didn't sign until after the first preseason game. These holdouts would trigger a unique change in Bears draft philosophy the following season.
The Bears quarterback problems
When Ditka was asked about Jim McMahon's status, prior to the season, he declared he had no intention of a trade but would listen to any offers that came this way. McMahon was traded to the San Diego ChargersSan Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
days before the Chargers traveled to Soldier Field for a preseason meeting with the Bears. Hughes retired from the team shortly after the McMahon trade, stating he lost interest in coaching and that losing McMahon had no influence with his final decision to retire.
Prior to traveling to Minneapolis to face the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in December, the Bears stayed for three days at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
to practice in their indoor facilities. There were protests by Madison residents over the university allowing the Chicago Bears to train in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
With McMahon gone, Tomczak started the season at quarterback, with Harbaugh backing him up. Ditka felt good enough about the duo that he did not keep a third quarterback on the active roster.
Regular season
First up for the Bears and entrenched starting quarterback Tomczak in 1989 were the defending AFC Champion Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
at Soldier Field. It was the defending AFC Champs versus the NFC runners-up, and the Bears endured 20-17, despite Tomczak throwing an interception on his first pass attempt of the season. Defensive lineman Dan Hampton
Dan Hampton
Daniel Oliver Hampton also known as "Danimal" is a retired Hall of Fame American football defensive tackle who played twelve seasons for the Chicago Bears from 1979 to 1990 in the National Football League. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002...
, playing in his 11th season, sacked Bengal quarterback Boomer Esiason
Boomer Esiason
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
twice and blocked a field goal attempt. He also displayed refreshing candor in his postgame interview. Asked to comment on fullback Brad Muster's fumble with 1:29 left in the game, Hampton said "If I had a knife, I would have stabbed him."
The following week Chicago hosted the Minnesota Vikings, who had swept the Bears the previous season. The Bears and Vikings stayed close the first three quarters, with Chicago holding a 10-7 fourth-quarter lead. In the final period, the Bears busted out for four touchdowns, ultimately beating the visitors 38-7.
The Bears moved to 3-0 with a win in the season's third week at Detroit, a game in which the offense racked up 542 net yards and 47 points. The Bears' expected strong start set up a miracle match-up for ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
, as the 2-1 Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
traveled to Soldier Field to face the undefeated Bears. The week preceding the game was filled with the drama of the Ditka-Buddy Ryan
Buddy Ryan
James David "Buddy" Ryan is a former American NFL football coach.-Early years:Ryan was born and reared in a small, agricultural-based community "just outside of Frederick, Oklahoma." Ryan played college football for Oklahoma A&M University where he earned four letters as a guard between 1952 and...
rivalry. Despite brash talk from Ryan, the Bears prevailed 27-13 and embarrassed the visitors on many fronts. Ditka used his usual sarcasm following the game, stating "I'm not surprised (about the 4-0 start), but I think a lot of people must be surprised, that we beat Cincinnati, Minnesota, Detroit and Philadelphia. We must be awfully lucky."
Then they lost 10 of the last 12 games. One of the 10 losses came at Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...
in Green Bay
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
, The Bears led late in the game, but the Packer quarterback Don Majkowski
Don Majkowski
Donald Francis Vincent Majkowski, "Majik", is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions.-College career:...
threw a controversial game-winning touchdown pass to Sterling Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe is a former American football wide receiver and an analyst for the NFL Network. He attended the University of South Carolina, and played from 1988 to 1994 with the Green Bay Packers.-Early life:...
to give the Packers a 14-13 win. The loss was so hard for Bears head coach Mike Ditka
Mike Ditka
Michael Keller Ditka, Jr. is a former American football NFL player, television commentator, and coach. Ditka coached the Chicago Bears for 11 years and New Orleans Saints for three years. Ditka and Tom Flores are the only two people to win Super Bowls as a player, an assistant coach, and a head...
that in the 1990 Bears Media Guide, he put the game in the 1989 game-by-game results as the instant replay
Instant replay
Instant replay is the replaying of video footage of an event or incident very soon after it has occurred. In television broadcasting of sports events, instant replay is often used during live broadcast, to show a passage of play which was important or remarkable, or which was unclear on first...
game.
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 10, 1989 | Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
W 17-14 | |
| 2 | September 17, 1989 | Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
W 38-7 | |
| 3 | September 24, 1989 | at Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
W 47-27 | |
| 4 | October 2, 1989 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 27-13 | |
| 5 | October 8, 1989 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... |
L 42-35 | |
| 6 | October 15, 1989 | Houston Oilers Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
L 33-28 | |
| 7 | October 23, 1989 | at Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 27-7 | |
| 8 | October 29, 1989 | Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
W 20-10 | |
| 9 | November 5, 1989 | at Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
L 14-13 | |
| 10 | November 12, 1989 | at Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
W 20-0 | |
| 11 | November 19, 1989 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... |
L 32-31 | |
| 12 | November 26, 1989 | at Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
L 38-14 | |
| 13 | December 3, 1989 | at Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
L 27-16 | |
| 14 | December 10, 1989 | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
L 27-17 | |
| 15 | December 17, 1989 | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
L 40-28 | |
| 16 | December 24, 1989 | at San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
L 26-0 | |
Standings
| NFC Central | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings 1989 Minnesota Vikings season -Regular season:The defensive line of Chris Doleman, Keith Millard, Al Noga and Henry Thomas were key contributors in helping the Vikings rank number one in the NFL in total defense. In addition, the Vikings set a franchise record with 71 sacks in one season... |
10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 351 | 275 |
| Green Bay Packers 1989 Green Bay Packers season The 1989 Green Bay Packers season was their 69th in the National Football League. The Packers posted a 10–6 record, their best since 1972, but failed to make the playoffs. The team was often referred to as the "Cardiac Pack" due to several close-game wins... |
10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 362 | 356 |
| Detroit Lions 1989 Detroit Lions season The 1989 season was the beginning of the Barry Sanders era. Considered one of the greatest drafts ever, Barry Sanders was drafted 3rd overall by the Lions. The Lions' divisional rival, the Green Bay Packers had the 2nd pick overall but they passed on Sanders. Instead, they opted for Tony Mandarich... |
7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 312 | 364 |
| Chicago Bears | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 358 | 377 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1989 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1989 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 5-11 season which finished winning 2 of the last 3 games including an upset of AFC East Champions.... |
5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 320 | 419 |
Roster
| Chicago Bears 1989 roster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Mark Bortz Mark Steven Bortz was a guard in the National Football League. He attended the University of Iowa and was drafted by the Bears in 1983 for the Chicago Bears and played there until 1994.-Professional career:... G Jim Covert James Paul "Jimbo" Covert is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Institute for Transfusion Medicine and a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears.-High school:Covert excelled in both football and wrestling at Freedom Area High... T Jerry Fontenot Jerry Paul Fontenot Jerry Paul Fontenot Jerry Paul Fontenot (born November 21, 1966 in Lafayette, Louisiana was an American football Center in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals. Fontenot attended Texas A&M University.... C Jay Hilgenberg Jay Walter Hilgenberg is a former American football player in the NFL. He played center for the Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns and the New Orleans Saints from 1981 to 1993.-Football career:... C Tom Thayer Thomas "Tom" Allen Thayer is a former American-football center/guard. He played in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears and the Miami Dolphins. He won a Super Bowl as a member of the 1985 Chicago Bears... G Keith Van Horne Keith Van Horne is a retired American football tackle.-High school:Keith attended Fullerton High School, Fullerton, California.His Fullerton football varsity team mate was future NFL... T John Wojciechowski John Wojciechowski is a former professional American football player who played tackle for seven seasons for the Chicago Bears. Today John Wojiciechowski teaches gym and strength training at Fitzgerald High school in Warren Michigan.... T Dave Zawatson David Francis Zawatson is a former American football offensive guard in the National Football League. He played for the Chicago Bears , the New York Jets , the Miami Dolphins , and the Atlanta Falcons . Zawatson attended the University of California at Berkeley.... DE Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
Dante Jones Dante Jones is a former linebacker in the NFL who played for the Chicago Bears from 1988–1994 and Denver Broncos in 1995. As a Sooner, Jones was an All Big 8 selection at linebacker in 1987.He is from Skyline High School in Dallas, TX, Class of 1983.... MLB Troy Johnson Troy Johnson is an American gospel and soul singer. He got his first break with a track on the Blame it on Rio soundtrack in 1984, and signed to Motown Records, where he released his first album. He scored a hit in 1986 with "It's You", which peaked at #65 on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart.... LB Jim Morrissey Jim Morrissey is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for nine seasons for the Chicago Bears and one with the Green Bay Packers. He was a member of the Bears team that won Super Bowl XX following the 1985 NFL season. He was also a member of the "Shuffling Crew" in... OLB Mickey Pruitt Mickey Pruitt Mickey Pruitt Mickey Pruitt (born January 10, 1965 in Bamberg, South Carolina is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for five seasons for the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys.... LB Ron Rivera Ronald Eugene Rivera is the head coach of the NFL's Carolina Panthers. Rivera was a linebacker on the 1985 Chicago Bears, who won Super Bowl XX. Rivera was the defensive coordinator for the 2006 Chicago Bears, who won the National Football Conference championship and competed in Super Bowl XLI... OLB Mike Singletary Michael "Mike" Singletary is an American football coach and former professional football player. He is currently the linebacker coach and assistant head coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL.... MLB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
|
||||||
1989 Chicago Bears draft choices
| Round | Pick | Name | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Donnell Woolford Donnell Woolford Donnell Woolford is a former professional American football cornerback who was selected by the Chicago Bears in the 1st round of the 1989 NFL Draft. Woolford played in 10 NFL seasons for the Bears from 1989 to 1997, the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1997 to 1998 and Carolina Panthers from 1998-1999... |
S | Clemson |
| 1 | 12 | Trace Armstrong Trace Armstrong Raymond Lester "Trace" Armstrong, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League for fifteen seasons from the late 1980s to the early 2000s... |
DE | Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... |
| 2 | 36 | John Roper | LB | Texas A&M |
| 2 | 54 | Dave Zawatson Dave Zawatson David Francis Zawatson is a former American football offensive guard in the National Football League. He played for the Chicago Bears , the New York Jets , the Miami Dolphins , and the Atlanta Falcons . Zawatson attended the University of California at Berkeley.... |
G | California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
| 3 | 65 | Jerry Fontenot Jerry Fontenot Jerry Paul Fontenot Jerry Paul Fontenot Jerry Paul Fontenot (born November 21, 1966 in Lafayette, Louisiana was an American football Center in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals. Fontenot attended Texas A&M University.... |
C | Texas A&M |
| 4 | 95 | Markus Paul Markus Paul Markus Paul is a current American football assistant strength and conditioning coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League.-High school:... |
DB | Syracuse Syracuse University Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College... |
| 5 | 130 | Mark Green Mark Green (American football) Mark Anthony Green is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was a 5th round selection out of Notre Dame by the Chicago Bears in the 1989 NFL Draft.... |
RB | Notre Dame |
| 5 | 136 | Greg Gilbert Greg Gilbert Gregory Scott Gilbert is a retired former professional ice hockey player who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League before retiring from his playing career to become a coach. Gilbert was the head coach of the Calgary Flames.... |
LB | Alabama Alabama Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland... |
| 7 | 189 | Richard Brothers Richard Brothers Richard Brothers was born in Port Kirwan, Newfoundland and Labrador and became well known as both an early believer and teacher of Anglo-Israelism... |
DB | Arkansas Arkansas Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River... |
| 7 | 192 | Brent Snyder | QB | Utah St. |
| 8 | 216 | Tony C. Woods | DT | Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state... |
| 9 | 243 | LaSalle Harper | LB | Arkansas Arkansas Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River... |
| 9 | 248 | Byron Sanders | RB | Northwestern Northwestern Northwestern may refer to:* Northwestern University, a private American research university, with campuses in Chicago and Evanston, Illinois* The Northwestern Wildcats, this school's intercollegiate athletic program-Other colleges and universities:... |
| 10 | 270 | Todd Millikan | TE | Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River.... |
| 10 | 277 | John Simpson John Simpson John Cody Fidler-Simpson CBE is an English foreign correspondent. He is world affairs editor of BBC News. He has spent all his working life at the Corporation... |
WR | Baylor Baylor Baylor is a surname and the name of several places and institutions. They include:Institutions:*Baylor University in Waco, Texas*Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas*Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, Texas... |
| 11 | 297 | Joe Nelms | DT | California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
| 11 | 304 | George Streeter George Streeter George Wellington "Cap" Streeter was born near the town of Flint, Michigan. From 1886 to 1921 Streeter spun lies, forged legal documents and used violence to wrest of Lake Michigan shoreline away from its rightful owners... |
DB | Notre Dame |
| 12 | 330 | Freddy Weygand | WR | Auburn Auburn -Geographical locations:Australia* Auburn, South Australia* Auburn, New South Wales** Auburn Council, the local governing body** Electoral district of AuburnBritish Isles... |
| 12 | 333 | Anthony Phillips Anthony Phillips Anthony Edwin "Ant" Phillips is an English multi instrumentalist, best known as a founding member of the band Genesis. He played guitar and sang backing vocals until leaving in 1970, following the recording of their second album, Trespass... |
G | Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state... |