The '85 Bears: We Were the Greatest (27 page)

“T
hat year was the highlight of my football career and the low point of my personal life. My dad passed away on the 28th of December. The fact that we still had to play was probably a good thing for me because I could just focus on that, because I was in another world. The last years of his life, we kind of got close and took it to a different level.”

“That generation, I think you know what I’m talking about, kept things in. But it got to the point when I went to college that that started changing. I was on my own. I had some independence, could say yes or no to any advice he might give me. But you start realizing how smart your parents are because you start experiencing things they talked to you about when you thought they don’t know what they’re talking about, and then you find out, well, I guess they actually did. Once the game was over, I went right to the locker room and started grieving. It was a huge relief to get it over with.

I miss him still. He was a good man.”

“Here’s the second part: Andy Frederick, who was our backup at tackle, got hurt in pregame warmups, so Jimbo Covert and I looked at each other and said, ‘Oh, God.We don’t have anyone to replace us.’ I had to play the whole game.”

“Shame on us. I think Dan Hampton said that—shame on us for not going back—and he’s right.”

“Our defense developed into probably the best defense that ever played. Certainly in the top two or three ever. It was fun watching them. You could see the fear in the eyes of opposing offenses, the quarterbacks especially.”

“People talk about our defense all the time, and rightfully so. But we led the league in time of possession, led the league in scoring, led the league in rushing. So we were able to do some stuff, too.”

“Part of the reason we were able to run the ball so well is we had to practice against those guys. And our practices were not like I think they practice today. We had Ditka, so we were out there hitting each other.”

“Jim McMahon knew football. He could come out and audible or change the play that was sent in if he didn’t like it, which didn’t always go over so well with Ditka. But I think Jim had a better grasp of it than [offensive coordinator] Ed Hughes and Mike Ditka, let me tell you.”

“Up in Green Bay when [William Perry] went in, he ran right over me and just nailed me in the back. I scored as well.”

“Walter was the real deal. He was the workhorse. I’ve been very blessed, very honored. I

blocked for Charlie White and Marcus Allen in college. They both won a Heisman Trophy. Then I got to come to Chicago and got to block for the greatest all-around running back that ever played, in my opinion.”