Walter Payton said he felt “relieved” after the Bears’ Super Bowl victory.
“And then burdened again. I was thinking about next year already, trying to repeat,” he said.
The Bears were 14-2 and ended up feeling as frustrated as they used to feel during those 7-9 seasons. They won their first six games with Payton getting over 100 yards in three of them.
The national “Q” rating of familiarity and popularity among athletes had Payton at the top of its list, with Larry Bird a close second.
But there were signs of the beginning of the end. McMahon played in only six games, injuring his shoulder in the opener. The first loss was in Minnesota, with Steve Fuller starting at quarterback and Payton gaining only 28 yards in nine carries. Two days later, Ditka signed quarterback Doug Flutie.
Fuller started and lost a Monday night game against the Rams and Ditka activated Flutie the following day. Second-year quarterback Mike Tomczak started seven games and won them all, but Flutie was in the wings. There was a growing air of dissension.
“It was kind of a hostile atmosphere and Walter was one of my closest friends on the team,” Flutie said.
After those first six wins, Payton would run for 100 yards only one more time in his career, on Nov. 9 in Tampa, when he gained 139. He finished with 1,333 yards. He suffered a painful dislocated toe but played anyway, of course.
“My goal was to get 1,500 yards. I fell 175 yards (actually 167) short. I got hurt. So 1,500 was attainable,” he said.
The Bears had drafted his successor, Neal Anderson, who spent his rookie season starring on special teams.
“My goal is 1,600 for next year,” Payton said. “If Neal wants my job, if Thomas Sanders wants my job, if Matt (Suhey) wants my job, if Calvin (Thomas) wants my job, or if somebody they draft wants my job, they’ll have to be so good they’re going to lead the league in everything and be the most valuable player because I’m going to work my butt off to attain that.”
The one-year “dynasty” ended with a 27-13 loss to Washington with Flutie at quarterback and Payton gaining 38 yards and losing a costly fumble.
“People won’t say it to my face, but you hear rumblings,” he said. “My mom said, `People always shoot up. They never shoot down.’ “
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September 14
Payton rushes for a season-high 177 yards in a 13-10 victory over Buddy Ryan’s Philadelphia Eagles. Payton passes the 15,000-yard milestone.
1986
ATTEMPTS YARDS AVERAGE TD
321 1,333 4.2 8
