1985 Bears Coverage: `Maytag’ Buford is happy to be Bear

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.

`Maytag’ Buford is happy to be Bear

Brian Hewitt

Originally published Dec. 10, 1985

First there was “Refrigerator.” Now the Bears have a “Maytag.”

Actually, punter Maury Buford picked up the “Maytag” nickname in San Diego when he punted for the Chargers from 1982 through 1984. A sportswriter decided punting for the Chargers, with their high-powered offense, was like the Maytag repairman in the ad slogan – “the loneliest man in town.”

“It was all right,” Buford said of the nickname. “My first two years with the Chargers, I punted fewer times than any other regular punter in the league.”

Nevertheless, Buford was ecstatic about the deal Aug. 20 that brought him to the Bears. “It was a godsend for me to come here,” he said yesterday, less than 24 hours after earning a game ball against the Indianapolis Colts for averaging 43.5 yards on four punts, with two stopping inside the 20. “This team’s going places.”