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.
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Butler headaches cause for concern
Brian Hewitt
Originally published Aug. 11, 1985
PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – Rookie Bear placekicker Kevin Butler returned to Lake Forest yesterday for neurological tests.
The fourth-round pick from Georgia complained of headaches.
“I affect people that way,” said Bear head coach Mike Ditka.
Early last week the Bears announced Butler was suffering from the flu. Now they say he might have migraines.
Butler’s 21-yard field goal Friday night accounted for the Bears’ only points in their 10-3 loss at St. Louis in the pre-season opener for both teams.
He also kicked off into the end zone to open the game. The kick was not returned.
Butler’s competition, veteran Bob Thomas, hooked his only three-point try wide left. “He just tried to hit it too hard,” Ditka said of the 46-yard attempt.
Butler’s headaches, Ditka said, “aren’t going to affect his status one bit. He’s gonna be here to compete right down to the end. And then I’m gonna make a decision based on what I’ve seen.”
McMAHON REPORT: Starting quarterback Jim McMahon completed only 2-of-6 passes against the Cardinals in one quarter of play. But Ditka said he was pleased with McMahon’s first game action since being KOd with a lacerated kidney last November.
“He read pretty good and he moved around pretty good,” Ditka said.
And he ran out of bounds instead of trying to scramble upfield. “I talked to him about that before the game,” Ditka said.
“And I said the main thing we wanted to do was keep you healthy.”
McMahon repeatedly has balked in public at the idea of playing conservatively.
“I think he’s always going to chafe at that idea,” Ditka said.
“Especially in front of you guys the media. It’s just not his nature. That runs contrary to everything he believes.
“And that’s fine. I said, `I understand your feelings. But your feelings are no different than Roger Staubach’s or Joe Theismann’s or Joe Montana’s were years ago. They changed. You’ve gotta learn how to change, too.’”
St. Louis did not sack McMahon.
PAYTON’S PLACE: Running back Walter Payton didn’t play against the Cardinals. And it is anybody’s guess whether he will play against Indianapolis on Saturday night at Soldier Field.
“I thought he was gonna play this week,” Ditka said. “So I’m not gonna put myself behind the eight-ball and say he is or he isn’t next week. I’m gonna find out if he wants to play.
“If he wants to play, he’ll play. If he doesn’t want to play, we’ll certainly hold him out.”
Said Payton: “If Mike tells me to play, I’ll play.”
Informed that Ditka had left the ball in Payton’s court, Payton said, “Then it’s a Mexican standoff.”
But will you play, Walter?
“It’s possible,” he said.
For the record, Payton is not injured. The Bears have used him sparingly in recent pre-seasons to keep him healthy.
DISAPPOINTED: Second-year linebacker Wilber Marshall injured his leg during the first half at St. Louis and didn’t return. Ditka criticized his toughness after the game and reiterated his disappointment yesterday.
“You gotta learn to play tough and you gotta learn to play a little bit hurt,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything the matter with him that severe right now.”
There is no inflammation in Marshall’s left ankle. The Bears originally thought he had pulled a lower leg muscle. Then they said it was a sprain. “He’s got a tender spot on the tendon,” Ditka said.
BIG ORDER: The Cardinals double-teamed rookie Bear right tackle William “Refrigerator” Perry most of the game. But Ditka dismissed its significance.
“It tells you that the other St. Louis guard handled Steve McMichael very well,” Ditka said. “The other guard is Bostic. And he’s a good football player.”
Coincidentally, Joe Bostic played his college ball at Clemson, the same school Perry attended.
NOTES: The Bears have signed Ron Anderson to bolster their depleted linebacking corps. Anderson was Denver’s 10th-round draft pick last April. The Broncos recently waived him. . . . The Bears ran through a light workout yesterday before many of them left camp for a respite. They weren’t due back until dinner time tonight . . . The featured sporting event of the day in camp was a tennis doubles match involving McMahon, Willie Gault, Ken Margerum and Bears public relations director Ken Valdiserri. The foursome rotated teams. “McMahon must have thrown his racket against the fence 50 times,” said one observer.
The Bears will begin cutting players Monday, although they aren’t required to trim to 60 until Aug. 20 . . . Nothing new on the Bears’ three holdout defensive starters – Todd Bell, Al Harris and Mike Singletary. “We’re making plans to proceed without them right now,” said Bear general manager Jerry Vainisi.
