1985 Bears Coverage: It’s Super Bowl waffle for Dent

Every day of the 2015 Chicago Bears season, Chicago Sun-Times Sports will revisit its coverage 30 years ago during the 1985 Bears’ run to a Super Bowl title.

It’s Super Bowl waffle for Dent

Sun-Times Staff

Originally published Jan. 10, 1986

The Bears’ Richard Dent has been an unhappy man this week because of his contract dispute with the Bears, but that may be

ending.

The Bears have reportedly increased their contract offer to the defensive linemen in an effort to end any thoughts he may have about boycotting the Super Bowl.

According to Dent’s agent, Everett Glenn, the Bears are offering about $1.1 million for three years, with 80 percent in base pay with the rest based on incentives.

Bears General Manager Jerry Vainisi said he increased the total package and tied less of it to incentives.

Dent, who led the NFC with 17 sacks, is making $4,700 a sack, while the Giants’ Lawrence Taylor (13 sacks, tied for fifth) is making $84,000 a sack (depending on how you compute Taylor’s complex contract).

When Dent was told of the sack breakdown, he smiled and said, “Is that so? That’s a lot of cash.”

Dent’s businessman’s approach to his contract is a carryover from his businesslike style of play.

“When I play, I think a lot on the field. I watch,” he said. “It may not look like that, but I really try to make something happen anytime I’m on the field.

ERIC I: The Bears expect Eric Dickerson to fumble two or three times and they aren’t afraid to talk about it.

“He runs high. When you run high, there’s a lot of you to hit,” safety Dave Duerson said, “and he holds the ball away from his body a lot, so there are a lot of opportunities to strip the ball.”

But the Rams’ fumbles-lost statistic (1.3 a game) sounds reasonable for such a rushing attack. Might the Bears be trying to plant an idea in Dickerson’s head?

“We’re just speaking facts,” Duerson said. “All running backs are human, and Eric is just as human as the rest.”

ERIC II: The Bears’ defense is thinking in terms of holding Dickerson under 100 or even 50 yards.

“But if Dickerson gets 300 yards and we win, I’ll be happy,” defensive end Dan Hampton said with a laugh.

There is a precedent, defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan said.

“One time, when I was at Minnesota, we came down to Chicago Nov. 20, 1977 and little Walter Payton got 275 yards. But they only got 10 points. I’d take that situation,” Ryan said.

But he wouldn’t take the final score: The Vikings lost 10-7.

NOT THE BEST? Asked if this was the best defense he ever has been associated with, Ryan shook his head.

“We had better defenses with the Jets and Minnesota,” Ryan said.

“Why were they better?” a reporter asked.

“One of ‘em won the Super Bowl. The other went four times,” Ryan shot back.

If the Bears were to win the Super Bowl, he allowed, his assessment might change.