1985 Bears Sports Bears

Ron Rivera was on last team to go 18-1 and win a Super Bowl

By Dan Cahill

Follow @dancahill_cst

If Carolina can stop Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera will be a part of two of the greatest teams in NFL history.

With a Super Bowl victory, the Panthers would finish 18-1, something only three other teams have done—1984 Forty-Niners, 1985 Bears and 2007 Patriots, who lost in the Super Bowl.

Rivera played linebacker on Mike Ditka’s 1985 Bears. Rivera could also become one of four—Tom Flores, Tony Dungy and Ditka—to play and coach for a winning Super Bowl team.

Last team to go 18-1 and win the Super Bowl: Ron Rivera's 1985 Bears.
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) January 25, 2016

If #Panthers go 18-1 at #SB50, you have to consider them one of best NFL teams ever. Seriously. I'd say top 5: https://t.co/rIKew3DVUC
— Scott Fowler (@scott_fowler) January 25, 2016

The 1972 Dolphins finished 17-0 when the NFL played a 14-game schedule.

Mike Ditka coaching tree

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