{
  "id": 13168094,
  "title": "Mike Ditka and his Bears teams have memorable history with Packers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/mike-ditka-and-his-bears-teams-have-memorable-history-with-packers",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-09T17:30:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mike-ditka-bears-teams-memorable-173023990.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mike Ditka, a legendary Chicago Bears player and Super Bowl-champion coach, died at the age of 86 on Friday. During his tenure as head coach from 1982 to 1992, Ditka led the Bears to a period where the Green Bay Packers were lagging behind in the NFL hierarchy. The rivalry between the two franchises remained intense despite the Bears' gradual gains in the past few seasons. As of Sunday, October 11, the Bears had moved ahead of the Packers in the rivalry's pecking order.\n\nThroughout the 10 full seasons Ditka coached the Bears, he only had two losing seasons. From 1983, the Packers won only five times in 20 meetings with Ditka's Bears. Here are five memorable Packers-Bears battles during the Ditka era:\n\n1. The Fridge is born (October 21, 1985): In a Monday Night Football game, defensive tackle William Perry, nicknamed \"The Fridge,\" became a sensation with his performance, including a 23-7 win over the Packers. Perry not only scored his first career touchdown by running 23 yards but also blocked a pass from Packers linebacker George Cumby, which led to a Walter Payton touchdown run.\n\n2. The Ken Stills hit on Matt Suhey (November 3, 1985): In a game that ended with a Super Bowl victory for the Bears, rookie Ken Stills made a dramatic hit on Bears fullback Matt Suhey after the whistle. This personal-foul penalty became a significant moment in the rivalry, with Stills reflecting on the game in 1991, as fans continued to ask about it for years to come.\n\n3. Walter Payton ends up running for 192 yards in a 16-10 Bears win (November 23, 1986): During a game, Packers defensive end Charles Martin slammed Bears' quarterback Jim McMahon with a late hit, resulting in a two-game suspension for Martin and a lost season for McMahon due to a torn rotator cuff. Despite this violence, the Bears secured a 12-10 victory, finishing the year with a 14-2 record but losing in the playoffs.\n\n4. The bad blood between coaches Forrest Gregg and Ditka (various years): The rivalry between coaches Forrest Gregg of the Packers and Ditka of the Bears extended beyond their coaching careers. Packers guard Rich Moran once remarked that it didn't matter to Gregg if the Bears had only two wins against the Packers, as long as those wins were against the Bears. This bitterness between the two coaches persisted long after their coaching days were over.\n\n5. Kevin Butler wins it for Bears (November 8, 1987): In a close game at Lambeau Field, Bears kicker Kevin Butler scored a 52-yard field goal to secure a 26-24 win for the Bears. This victory, achieved despite the Packers having a lead with 1:00 remaining, remains a memorable moment in the rivalry.",
  "summary": "Tensions during the Bears-Packers rivalry were high, and rightfully so, during the era when the late Mike Ditka was head coach of the Chicago Bears.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Mike Ditka and his Bears teams have memorable history with Packers",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/mike-ditka-and-his-bears-teams-have-memorable-history-with-packers-13168095",
        "published": "2026-10-09T17:30:23.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}