As part of the NFL’s centennial season celebration, the league is featuring the top 100 plays in NFL history. On Friday, NFL Network debuted “NFL 100 Greatest,” which featured plays 100-31.
Just as the NFL celebrates its 100th season, so do the Bears, who have been a part of this league from the beginning. So there are plenty of plays to choose from that feature one of the league’s charter franchises.
The Bears had three plays on that list, including two from the legendary 1985 season.
Wilber Marshall’s fumble return for a touchdown in the 1985 NFC Championship game came in at No. 96. The victory was the perfect way to cap off what was a dominant postseason performance where the Bears defense shut-out both the Giants (21-0) and Ram (24-0) in back-to-back weeks.
Keeping the theme of the legendary ’85 season, William “Refrigerator” Perry became a household name when the defensive tackle was inserted on offense and carried the ball. It’s no surprise that Perry’s one-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XX came in at No. 79.
The highest-ranked Bears moment, in the 100-31 list, came nearly three decades before the ’85 Bears. Chicago QB Ed Brown’s touchdown pass to Harlon Hill in 1956 came in at, what else, No. 56.
The countdown of the NFL’s greatest 100 plays continues next Friday on NFL Network, where plays 30-1 are revealed.
