1985 Bears Coverage: Bears notes

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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Bears notes

Kevin Lamb

Originally published Sept. 6, 1985

Wide receiver Dennis McKinnon, linebacker Otis Wilson and cornerback Leslie Frazier practiced yesterday. Coach Mike Ditka expected them to start Sunday, although Wilson and Frazier still were questionable on the injury report.

Defensive tackle Dan Hampton probably will have a 1986-88 contract next week that will put him in the $600,000-to-$700,000-a-year-range with the highest paid NFL defensive tackles. “It will be a great contract for a great player,” general manager Jerry Vainisi said. “He and Walter Payton have been the outstanding players on the Bears the last six years.” Vainisi is much farther from an extension deal with Richard Dent but said, “I hope to get something done by Sunday.” Dent’s lackadaisical week of practice has led to concern he might be planning to walk out if he doesn’t have a contract extension by Sunday.

“We’re loose as we can be,” Ditka said of the Bears’ practice atmosphere. “Sometimes that’s good. Sometimes I guess that’s bad. We were loose before we played the Raiders, too.” The Bears won that game last year.

The last 1,600 tickets for the noon game against Tampa Bay Sunday were bought anonymously. A Bear spokesman wouldn’t deny the benefactor was CBS or Channel 2, which will be able to telecast the game locally because of the sellout.