Perry, an Aiken High grad drafted 22nd overall after a decorated career at Clemson, grabbed headlines throughout the second half of the season for the Bears during a 15-1 campaign, appearing on talk shows and in TV commercials, none of which possibly could have even been imagined at the start of the season.
Perry ran afoul of famed defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, who groused to the press that the Bears “wasted” their first-round draft pick on Perry, who reportedly arrived at preseason training camp weighing more than 380 pounds.
As such, Perry had to earn his way into a spot in Ryan’s hyper-aggressive “46” defense. Perry made only one start, in a Week 4 blowout of Washington, in the first eight weeks of the season, but while he was in Ryan’s doghouse Ditka — who famously and publicly feuded with his defensive coordinator — had an idea for how to get his rotund rookie onto the field.
On offense. And Ditka found the perfect time to give it a shot.
The year before, Ditka’s Bears were embarrassed in the NFC Championship Game by the San Francisco 49ers, a 23-0 defeat to the eventual Super Bowl champs made much worse by how it ended. Head coach Bill Walsh sent in reserve rookie guard Guy McIntyre as a fullback, which Ditka interpreted as Walsh disrespecting the Bears.
The Bears vowed to see the 49ers again, and they didn’t have to wait long — the teams met in San Francisco in Week 6, and this time around it was the Bears who were toying with the 49ers. Well on the way to closing out a 26-10 win to move to 6-0 for the season, Ditka decided it was time for payback.
“Mike has a great memory. Mike could not leave without returning the favor,” Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary said on the ’85 Bears episode of the “America’s Game” series. “Year before, putting Guy McIntyre in the backfield gave Coach Ditka an idea.”
Perry got a couple of carries, plowing ahead for four yards. It wasn’t about running up the score; it was about sending a message. As it turns out, it was an idea Ditka already had for opening up the Fridge but had kept on ice until the right time.