Chicago Bears History-The Ditka-Ryan Feud -
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Published on: 1/2/2003
Last Visited: 10/13/2004
James "Buddy" Ryan began his career as Bears defensive coordinator after being brought on by head coach Neill Armstrong for the 1978 season.
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Defensive tackle Alan Page wrote a letter to Halas, imploring the aging owner to retain Ryan.
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Halas re-signed Ryan to a new deal as coordinator before hiring Mike Ditka as head coach shortly thereafter.
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Safety Dave Duerson (1983-1990) has stated that Ditka only interfered in a defensive meeting once, when Ryan told him to "get out, this is my team, these are my players."
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Ryan.
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After Ryan refused Ditka's orders to insert a cornerback to cover WR Nat Moore instead of linebacker Wilbur Marshall, Ditka offered to take Ryan outside to resolve the situation.
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After Ryan refused Ditka's orders to insert a cornerback to cover WR Nat Moore instead of linebacker Wilbur Marshall, Ditka offered to take Ryan outside to resolve the situation.
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The night before the game, Ryan announced he was leaving to become head coach of the Eagles.Players and Ryan cried before DT Steve McMichael (1981-1993) threw a chair that stuck into the wall to dry the group's tears with testosterone.With Ryan's departure, and a 1986 matchup already scheduled between Chicago and Philadelphia, an intense rivalry was born.
September 14, 1986 featured the first matchup of Ryan and Ditka at Soldier Field.
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At the same time, Ryan didn't see fit to muzzle himself.He told one publication that the Bears "didn't have a chance" to repeat as world champions.
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The field generals looked at the "scabs" in entirely different ways, which probably influenced the outcome of the gane, Ditka embraced the players as "the real Bears," while Ryan called his team "the worst bunch of football players I've ever seen."
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Ditka again took the high road when asked about Ryan, calling the matchup "just another game."
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But as usual, Ryan chose the opposite route.Ryan called the Eagles' personnel "better than the Bears at every position except middle linebacker," a nod to his former best student, Mike Singletary.
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Added to the verbal barrage in 1988 was former Bear safety Todd Bell, now playing weakside linebacker in the 46 for Ryan.
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Chicago opened up a 17-9 lead on Ryan and the Eagles, thanks to several major gaffes committed by Philadelphia.Then suddenly a fog decended upon the field which shrouded the stadium and created perhaps the most peculiar football game in history.The Bears held on to win despite the Eagles penetrating Chicago's 25-yard line nine times.The recalcitrant Ryan was brave as he met the media, giving credit to the Bears' defense-but not their coaching."Credit the Bears.And hold your head high," he told his players."You have nothing to be ashamed of."
It's doubtful that either coach could sense that their Monday Night matchup on October 2, 1989 would be their last, but it certainly seemed that way.Even the Soldier Field crowd got into the fued in a big way.Fans displayed banners that read "Ryan's no buddy of ours," chanted "Bud-dy, Bud-dy" constantly, and even pelted the coach on the field with french fries in an allusion to McDonald's commercials in which Ryan had starred.Chicago won this final matchup 27-13 and harassed Eagles QB Randall Cunningham all night, despite him throwing for 401 yards.After the game, Ryan said "you don't lose that many times to anyone and stay in this league long."
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This game is between the Bears and the Eagles, not Ditka and Ryan.
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Ryan served a two-year stint with the Arizona Cardinals in '94 and '95, after which he retired to his horse ranch in Kentucky.
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