1982 Chicago Bears-Cleaning House
Mike Ditka and George Halas sit in Halas' golf cart at practice in 1982, the year Halas brought back his hand-picked coach.
The 1982 season began on January 20th, as curly-haired new coach Mike Ditka met the media with President George S. Halas at a round table at the Bears' Chicago business office. Chicago was Mike Ditka's destiny, he told the media. Ditka and the new regime's first move was to end the team's quarterback carousel by drafting BYU quarterback Jim McMahon with their 5th pick in the first round. Bear officials were thrilled that he was still on the board after Baltimore drafted Art Schlister with their 3rd pick. It was a sign that things were going to be different, very different indeed, when McMahon showed up at Halas Hall with a beer in his hand.
Ditka held a minicamp for the team in May in Phoenix, Arizona. During this camp, he made a statement by bringing back an old-fashioned hitting drill called the "nutcracker". This drill pitted an offensive lineman versus a defensive linemen, and a running back whose object was to get around the defensive player. As can be imagined, this led to some ferocious hitting, sorely needed by a team that many said lacked discipline after the 1981 campaign. Aside from the extra hitting and the overall sense of discipline players felt, Ditka also made a promise to players at this minicamp. He stated that he was going to take this Bears team to the super bowl, period. Some players that stood before him would be there with him, but many would not, he said. Those that did not want to be there had better pack their bags. The future would hold both of these statements to be true.
The '82 season began with much turmoil. Players had been threatening a walkout all summer if their labor demands were not met by the third game of the season. Each team's starters staged impromptu midfield handshakes before each game's coin-flip as a sign of solidarity. The first two games did not bode well for the team, as they lost the opener 17-10 at Detroit, and the home opener the following week to New Orleans, 10-0. After these two games, the players walked out on strike, and 7 games of the season had to be cancelled.
For much of the 1982 season the team looked comical. One portion of the Dallas Cowboys' offense Ditka brought along with him was the gimmick in which the offensive line would stand up in unison before "setting" in a three-point stance. Looking like they were more worried about figuring out the complicated play they were trying to run, most of the time half of the line stood, and the other half forgot about the gimmick. None-the-less, the offensive system was much more imaginative than the previous regime's. It featured the "shotgun" formation for the first time, and was destined to revolve around the great running back Walter Payton along with rookie quarterback Jim McMahon.
The season resumed with a rematch against the Detroit Lions on November 21st, and the Bears pulled out the first win of the Mike Ditka era, 20-17. The rest of the season featured wins over Los Angeles and New England, but the team also suffered 5 more losses to finish 3-6. Chicago was actually in the running for a playoff spot if they could win the season finale at Tampa Bay, but a missed field goal sent the game into overtime, and the Bears lost 26-23.
Quote of the Year: "The good news is, our goal is to win the division, conference and super bowl.  The bad news is, as I look out at you all, many of you won't be here to see it."  -Mike Ditka's first address to the team at minicamp.
1982 Records:Preseason 1-3, Regular Season 3-6
1982 NFL Rankings: Offense 26th overall, 18th rush, 23rd pass; Defense 16th overall, 5th rush, 21st pass
1982 Coaches: Mike Ditka, Head Coach; Buddy Ryan, Defensive Coordinator; Ed Hughes, Offensive Coordinator
DATE
TEAM
RESULT
NOTES
8/16
Chargers
27-28
Preseason
8/21
Bills
21-14
Preseason
8/28
Cardinals
3-10
Preseason
9/4
Colts
17-26
Preseason
9/12
Lions
10-17
Ditka's first loss
9/19
Saints
0-10
Ready to strike...
9/26
49ers
*
Cancelled, strike.
10/3
Vikings
*
Cancelled, strike.
10/10
Packers
*
Cancelled, strike.
10/17
Cardinals
*
Cancelled, strike.
10/24
Bucs
*
Cancelled, strike.
10/31
Packers
*
Cancelled, strike.
11/7
Falcons
*
Cancelled, strike.
11/21
Lions
20-17
...come back energized.
11/28
Vikings
7-35
...But not enough.
12/5
Patriots
26-13
Mac's 3rd start
12/12
Seahawks
14-20
Mac still learning.
12/19
Cardinals
7-10
Close loss.
12/26
Rams
34-26
Huge day for Payton
1/2
Bucs
23-26
Barely miss playoffs.
HOME
AWAY
Passing: Jim McMahon- McMahon was named Rookie of the Year, passing for 1501 yards with a 80.1 rating.  He became the team's starter as a rookie for the first game back after the strike.
Rushing: Walter Payton-Due to the strike, Payton only rushed for 596 yards, but his average was back up to 4.0 yards per carry.  He missed the Pro Bowl for the first time since 1975.
Receiving Yards: Emery Moorehead- Moorehead gained 363 yards on 30 receptions.  Matt Suhey led the team in receptions with 36.
Scoring: Emery Moorehead- Moorehead also led the team in scoring with five touchdown receptions.
Sacks: Dan Hampton- In nine games, Hampton registered seven quarterback sacks and was voted PFW NFL Most Valuable Defensive Player.
Interceptions: Terry Schmidt- Led the team with four interceptions.
1982 Chicago Bears Normal Starters
Jim McMahon Walter Payton Matt Suhey Ken Margerum Brian Baschnagel Phil McKinnely Noah Jackson Dan Neal Jeff Williams Keith Van Horne Emery Moorehead John Roveto
9 QB
34 RB
26 RB
82 WR
84 WR
67 LT
65 LG
52 C
74 RG
78 RT
87 TE
9 K
Al Harris Dan Hampton Jim Osborne Mike Hartenstine Gary Campbell Mike Singletary Otis Wilson Leslie Frazier Gary Fencik Len Walterscheid Terry Schmidt Bob Parsons
90 DE
99 DT
68 DT
73 DE
59 LB
50 MLB
55 LB
21 CB
45 SS
23 FS
44 CB
86 P
Rookie Jim McMahon became the team's starter when the strike was over.  Bob Avellini started the first two games.  Normal left tackle Ted Albrecht missed the season with a back injury.  Guard Revie Sorey also missed the season after being kicked in the throat in the preseason.  Kicker John Roveto beat out incumbent Bob Thomas for the job in training camp, but Thomas was re-signed in December.  Len Walterscheid replaced the injured Doug Plank at free safety.  From left to right: Offense Jim McMahon, Walter Payton, Matt Suhey, Ken Margerum, Brian Baschnagel, Phil McKinnely, Noah Jackson, Dan Neal, Jeff Williams, Keith Van Horne, Emery Moorehead, John Roveto.  Defense Al Harris, Dan Hampton, Jim Osborne, Mike Hartenstine, Gary Campbell, Mike Singletary, Otis Wilson, Leslie Frazier, Gary Fencik, Len Walterscheid, Terry Schmidt, Bob Parsons.
4
K
John Roveto
SW Louisana
2
7
QB
Bob Avellini
Maryland
8
8
QB
Vince Evans
USC
6
9
QB
Jim McMahon
BYU
R
16
K
Bob Thomas
Notre Dame
8
20
CB
Reuben Henderson
SD State
2
21
CB
Leslie Frazier
Alcorn State
2
23
DB
Lenny Walterscheid
S. Utah St.
6
24
DB
Jeff Fisher
USC
2
25
S
Todd Bell
Ohio State
2
26
RB
Matt Suhey
Penn State
3
29
RB
Dennis Gentry
Baylor
R
33
RB
Calvin Thomas
Illinois
R
34
RB
Walter Payton
Jackson State
8
35
RB
Roland Harper
Louisana Tech
7
37
RB
Willie McClendon
Georgia
4
44
DB
Terry Schmidt
Ball State
9
45
S
Gary Fencik
Yale
7
46
S
Doug Plank
Ohio State
8
50
LB
Mike Singletary
Baylor
2
51
LB
Bruce Herron
New Mexico
5
52
C
Dan Neal
Kentucky
10
54
LB
Brian Cabral
Colorado
4
55
LB
Otis Wilson
Louisville
3
57
LB
Bruce Huther
New Hamp.
6
58
LB
Jerry Muckensturm
Ark. State
6
59
LB
Gary Campbell
Colorado
6
62
OL
Dan Jiggetts
Harvard
7
63
C
Jay Hilgenberg
Iowa
2
65
G
Noah Jackson
Tampa
8
67
T
Phil McKinnely
UCLA
6
68
DT
Jim Osborne
Southern
11
69
G
Revie Sorey
Illinois
8
71
G
Perry Hartnett
SMU
R
72
T
Jerry Doerger
Wisconsin
R
73
DL
Mike Hartenstine
Penn State
8
74
OL
Jeff Williams
R. Island
5
75
DL
Henry Waechter
Nebraska
R
76
DT
Steve McMichael
Texas
3
78
T
Keith Van Horne
USC
2
79
G
Kurt Becker
Michigan
R
80
WR
Rickey Watts
Tulsa
4
81
TE
Robin Earl
Washington
6
82
WR
Ken Margerum
Stanford
2
84
WR
Brian Baschnagel
Ohio State
7
86
P
Bob Parsons
Penn State
11
87
TE
Emery Moorehead
Colorado
6
89
WR
James Scott
Henderson JC
6
90
LB-DE
Al Harris
Arizona St.
4
99
DE
Dan Hampton
Arkansas
4
Ditka on his dream
The following is quoted from an interview Mike Ditka did with WTTW's Bob Sirott in 2004:
"When I was coaching in Dallas, I wrote a letter to George Halas, telling him that at some point I wanted to be a head coach (it wasn't then), and that I would love for him to consider me to be coach of the Bears."
"Halas had me up for the interview at his kitchen table, and asked me to tell him my philosophy on football.  I said my philosophy was the same as him, to win.  He said, OK, we're going to pay you X amount of dollars, and I said I'm sure happy to have the job.  This was a lifelong dream to me."
Ditka Quotes from the first minicamp
"We don't wear hats in meetings.  I've got a couple of things I stand on, and one of them is wearing hats in meetings.  Hats are for outdoors."
"You did everything we asked of you this weekend, and we asked a lot.  Don't forget it, this is the way training camp will be.  It's the way it has to be.  I'll tell you this, this is a good football team standing here, and we're gonna get better."
"I played here when people really took pride in pulling on the Bears jersey.  I want that to happen again."
Players on their new coach
"That's something I never heard in the six years I've been here.  We're always talking about being competitive.  I'm glad someone's got a different frame of mind.  I'm tired of being "competitive".  Obviously, that attitude hasn't pushed us to our limits." -Gary Fencik on Ditka's statement that his team would go to the Super Bowl.
 
 
Ditka was an offensive assistant with the Dallas Cowboys before being hired in 1982 as the Bears' tenth head coach.  The Cowboys, offensive powerhouses, used to stand at attention before "ready" was called at the line of scrimmage, then stand up and set.  Ditka, along with fellow Dallas assistant Ed Hughes (who became his offensive coordinator in Chicago), tried to install this wrinkle in the Bears' offense in 1982.  Unfortunately, the pre-strike demoralized players couldn't even do this in rhythm and it looked awful.  In a show of union solidarity, players from both teams ran to midfield and shook hands before the first two games.  These events were met by a round of boos throughout stadiums.  The Bears lost their first two games prior to the strike, then finished the season 3-4.  They actually would have made the playoffs with the strange post-strike format, but barely missed when they lost to Tampa in the season finale.  WR James Scott returned to the Bears in '82 after he played for the CFL's Montreal Alouettes in 1981.  Punter Bob Parsons nailed an 81-yard punt vs. New England.
The NFL endures its first work stoppage as seven games are cancelled league-wide by a player's strike. The league decides to forego their traditional divisional rankings, and instead the top eight teams in each division make the playoffs. The world champion 49ers miss the playoffs with a 3-6 record, same as the Bears. Two 4-5 teams (Detroit and Cleveland) make the postseason, but are quickly eliminated. Dallas loses in the NFC Championship game for the second year in a row, to Washington. The Redskins beat Miami 27-17 in Super Bowl 17.
1982 Bears Draft
Rd
Pos
Name
School
1
QB
Jim McMahon
BYU
2-Traded to Tampa
3
TE
Tim Wrighman
UCLA
4
RB
Dennis Gentry
Baylor
5a
G
Perry Hartnett
SMU
5b
DB
Dennis Tabron
Duke
6
G
Kurt Becker
Michigan
7
DT
Henry Waechter
Nebraska
8
t
Jerry Doerger
Wisconsin
9
DB
Mike Hatchett
Texas
10
DB
Joe Turner
USC
11
LB
Gary Boliaux
Wisconsin
12
LB
Ricky Young
OK State
1982 Bears Trades
Traded second-round pick to Tampa for 1983 first-round pick
Traded CB Reuben Henderson to San Diego for fifth-round pick
1982 Bears Free Agent Signings
WR James Scott
T Phil McKinnely
LB Dan Rains
RB Calvin Thomas
CB Walt Williams
K Bob Thomas
1982 Bears Retirements
DT Alan Page
1982 Chicago Bears Awards
Jim McMahon, Rookie of the Year
Dan Hampton, PFW Defensive Most Valuable Player
Gary Fencik, S, Pro Bowl
 








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