Jim McMahon is excited about returning to Chicago to attend the Bears100 Celebration Weekend this Friday through Sunday in Rosemont.
The "punky QB" is one of 24 members of the 1985 Super Bowl championship team scheduled to participate in the event at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
"I'm looking forward to coming in and seeing a bunch of the old boys I got to play with," McMahon told ChicagoBears.com. "I know the Bears are celebrating 100 years, so it should be a pretty good time."
McMahon, who lives in Arizona, played his first seven NFL seasons with the Bears after being selected with the fifth pick in the first round of the 1982 draft. He compiled a sparking 46-15 record as a starter while passing for 11,203 yards and 67 touchdowns.
McMahon played the game with a unique style. A talented passer who set or tied 56 NCAA records at Brigham Young University, he was a fierce competitor. Brash and cocky, McMahon was beloved by teammates, especially the offensive linemen he head-butted to celebrate touchdowns.
McMahon was rebellious as well. He sported a mohawk haircut and constantly wore sunglasses—primarily due to an eye injury he had sustained as a child. He frequently changed plays called by coach Mike Ditka, incurring Da Coach's wrath.
After NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle fined McMahon $5,000 for wearing an Adidas headband in the Bears' 1985 divisional playoff win over the Giants, the quarterback wore a headband inscribed with "Rozelle" the following week in an NFC Championship Game victory over the Rams.
McMahon isn't surprised that the '85 Bears remain one of the most iconic and celebrated teams in NFL history more than 30 years after they capped their magical season with a 46-10 drubbing of the Patriots in Super Bowl XX.
"We were damn good for one and we had a lot of personalities on that team," McMahon said. "I think back then everybody had a radio show or a TV show. We were out in the public a lot more than a lot of people were at that time."
The '85 Bears had a whole lot of fun out in the public, at a time when cell phone cameras and social media didn't exist.
"I'm glad we didn't have that kind of stuff around back then because we wouldn't have had as much fun as we did," McMahon said.
Other members of the 1985 Bears who are scheduled to attend the Bears100 Celebration include Hall of Famers Richard Dent, Dan Hampton and Mike Singletary; as well as Kurt Becker, Jimbo Covert, Gary Fencik, Willie Gault, Mike Hartenstine, Jay Hilgenberg, Tyrone Keys, Mitch Krenk, Steve McMichael, Emery Moorehead, Jim Morrissey, Reggie Phillips, Dan Rains, Mike Richardson, Matt Suhey, Ken Taylor, Tom Thayer, Mike Tomczak, Henry Waechter and Otis Wilson.
McMahon is slated to join current Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky for a panel discussion from 9:15-10:15 a.m. Saturday.
"I'm looking forward to doing the panel with Mitch and looking forward to sitting down and talking to him," McMahon said.
The Bears100 Celebration will feature the ultimate gathering of Bears fans and current and former players. The entire 2019 team and coaching staff, along with Bears Hall of Famers and alumni, are scheduled to attend. The weekend will include free autograph sessions, photo opportunities, panels, memorabilia and merchandise sales, interactive games, kids activities and a walk-though Bears history zone.
Click here to buy tickets.
