The man behind the Chicago Bears dominant, destructive, innovative 1985 defense that powered the team to a Super Bowl XX championship in January of ’86, Buddy Ryan, has died. He passed away today at the age of 82. His Bears “46” defense, named after the Bears safety Doug Plank who wore number 46, was so integral to that championship team that he, along with head coach Mike Ditka, got carried off the field afterwards on the shoulders of his boys.
Ryan and Ditka were both opinionated, strong personalities that clashed off the field, but it didn’t stop the Bears from amassing a 15-1 regular season on their way to a relatively easy NFL title, the team’s last. A young Ryan also was the linebacker coach for Joe Namath’s New York Jets team that upset the Baltimore Colts for the first victory for an AFL team in the Super Bowl III in January of ’69.
As the DC for the Bears, his defense became known for blitzing the offense with more players than could be blocked. It was an aggressive defense, ahead of its time in the copycat NFL. The Bears ’84 defense under Ryan racked up 72 sacks, still an NFL record. His D recorded seven sacks in the Super Bowl XX rout of the Patriots. As an NFL head coach, his record was 55-55-1.
More recently, the wheelchair-bound Ryan was battling cancer and was suffering from the after-effects of a stroke. He had an amazing 33-year coaching career that started as an assistant at the University of Buffalo. All in all, a man who left his mark with the Bears and in the NFL. And from your radio home for the Chicago Bears, Buddy, here’s one last 95-5, Hi Five!
Doc Watson
