Da Bears!: How the 1985 Monsters of the Midway Became the Greatest Team in NFL History

Delsohn provides a fast, unfiltered history of the 1985 Super Bowl Champion Chicago Bears, "the most dominant team" that longtime NFL commentator John Madden claims to have ever seen. To mark that memorable 15-1 season's 25th anniversary, ESPN "Outside the Lines" reporter Delsohn (Talking Irish) tracked down several characters to speak candidly about a season rife with controversy and conflict. We learn that head coach Mike Ditka and defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan rarely spoke to (and often contradicted) each other, quarterback Jim McMahon routinely called audibles on and off the field, and several Bears recorded the seminal "Super Bowl Shuffle" before the playoffs even began. Delsohn grew up in the Windy City and is a Bears fan, but not a fan boy, and his assessment of the team seems fair. Most notably, he addresses the sheer brutality of the Bears' defense, led by middle linebacker Mike Singletary. Many of the Bears' tackles have since been outlawed by the NFL, including the crushing blow right linebacker Wilber Marshall delivered with his helmet to Detroit Lions quarterback Joe Ferguson, who was reportedly knocked unconscious before he hit the ground. (Sept.)