The obvious pick is the under on total points in the Commanders vs Bears game. There is a time and a place for this. Ron Rivera and Walter Payton were talking on the sideline during a game in 1996. The conversation began with a defensive call and ended with Rivera moving on to a different career path. Rivera was working for a local TV station when he was working for the Bears. Rivera said that he got his job as a coach from him. Rivera was drafted by the Bears in the second round of the 1984 draft, and he played nine seasons in Chicago, including the most celebrated in franchise history. Even though Rivera wasn't a key player on the 1985 Bears team that won the Super Bowl, he will still be viewed through that lens when he leads the Washington Commanders into Soldier Field. Prime video. They are so difficult to stop.
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Some of the characters Rivera played with helped shape his style of coaching.
He was turned into a coach by the person who helped. The two were standing behind the Dallas bench when they heard a coach tell the defense to run. Rivera said he would force it back inside because the corner didn't want to tackle anyone. The play will gain 10 to 12 yards the next time it is run.
The man was correct. Rivera expected the corner to handle it in a certain way. "Why aren't you teaching?" he asked.
I asked Walter how to get in. He told you what. Rivera said that he would be in his office tomorrow.
The meeting between Rivera and McCaskey was arranged by Payton. Rivera was hired by Wannstedt as a defensive quality control coach.
Rivera said the rest is history.
A gift from the Bears commemorates the 25th anniversary of the 1985 team and Rivera has a replica of the trophy in his office. Malcolm Blacken, Washington's senior director of player development, painted him a picture of a tattered Walter Payton jersey that is in his office. He died of bile duct cancer.
Coach Mike Ditka, quarterback Jim McMahon, and defensive tackle William "The Refrigerator" Perry are just a few of the people Rivera remembers.
Rivera was a member of the '85 Bears. We were a group of people.
They had a lot of people cheering for the big guy, wrestling fans wanting Steve "Mongo" McMichael, and then there was McMahon.
He was crazy all the time. He had an effect on the defense as well as the offense. A group of guys were trying to win.
The memories are strong four decades later.
Rivera had an influence, even though he wasn't a main personality. He loved to study and analyze the game.
Tom Thayer, a color commentator for the Bears' radio crew, said that Ron was required to be perfect in his job with Buddy. He didn't have a lot of time to make mistakes. He could see the offensive clues immediately.
Rivera had to know every position because he backed up all three of them. He filled in for Mike Singletary and was named Player of the Week.
"McMichael and Dan gave Singletary a hard time about getting healthy," he said.
The man felt Rivera's impact the most during the game. Morrissey was inserted into the game at the end of the game. Ryan never allowed him to practice with the defense because he didn't think he had earned it.
If it turned into a pass, he didn't know how to handle it. He asked Rivera if he should go back to his left. After intercepting a pass, he returned it to the 4-yard line.
McMahon was known as the "punky QB" who wore headbands and challenged authority. He was a guy who cared for his teammates. Rivera thought the Bears had a brutal morning practice at one of their training camps.
McMahon yelled to Ditka as they warmed up for the next practice. Hey, Iron Mike." Why don't you relax on the boys? This morning was a rough one. What is going on with you? Let's come on.
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Rivera thought it might have been a setup, but it didn't matter. The players were able to benefit.
Ditka asked what he wanted him to do about it after he got on him. Rivera said that he asked why the guys should not be given the afternoon off. He asked if it was really. It's all good. He whistled, "Take it in." We're finished. Everybody was fired up.
Jimmy Mac stood up for us. Standed up for us.
McMahon started riding a moped around training camp at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He bought his linemen scooters. They became the Red Riders.
Rivera said that he used to do that. One year, it might have been the Super Bowl year, he paid this bar owner the last night just before camp was to break a little extra to close it down to just the players and select friends,
The skits on SNL made Ditka even more famous. Rivera has a recollection of Ditka's philosophy.
Rivera learned that Mike had to set the standard.
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Rivera remembers a training camp workout when the Bears were having a bad day. The temperature was hot. The whole time, Ditka wouldn't stop. Rivera met with Ditka after practice to discuss a matter.
He wanted to know why the coach was so hard on them.
Rivera said that he was told that he wouldn't be asked to do something he couldn't do. "Huh?" I asked.
The realization struck me. His standard is pretty high since he was a Hall of Fame player. We were being pushed by him. It's always about setting the standard so you can push into it.
Rivera talked about how Ditka handled Super Bowl week. The Bears arrived a day earlier than they needed to, according to Rivera. He said there would be no curfew until the Friday and Saturday before the game.
Rivera said they had a great time. That's what made us unique. The personality of the head coach made them all out there. The defensive coach was a person.
There was tension between Ditka and Ryan at all times. Ditka was on the offensive side and Ryan was on the defense. In nine-on-seven drills, Ditka yelled at Ryan about being in a particular look. Ryan yelled at his players that they weren't playing hard enough.
He didn't care who carried the ball, he wanted them to hit him.
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Rivera said he would hear the two argue about how to handle a tactic. Rivera said that Ditka yelled at Ryan. We will do things my way until I'm not the head coach.
Ryan was seen as a big person. His players were fond of him and didn't think he was a big deal. After his sergeant was killed in the Korean War, he assumed a leadership role. Rivera said that Ryan never mentioned that information to the players.
Ryan made some of the mentality needed in the military accessible to his players. He wouldn't yell, but he would get on players.
Rivera said that once you realized that he did the things that kept you on edge, you would be prepared. He was a great motivator and coach.
He was able to explain why he wanted something done. Ryan used to be behind the defense and signal. The players had to understand the signals because Rivera wouldn't speak. Ryan would sometimes ask Rivera why they were running a particular defense.
Rivera would ask why they looked that way. The chess moves behind Ryan's thinking were explained by him.
Rivera said that he always gave the why. I tried to make sure that everyone understood why we were doing what we were doing when I was the coordinators.
The Commanders are playing the Bears in a game.
The most famous song-and-dance video by a football team was the brainchild of Bears receiver Willie Gault.
The video was filmed Tuesday morning, after the Bears had played a Monday night game in Miami. They lost their first game of the season. The shoot was supposed to take place at 8 a.m., but Rivera said they left Miami at1:45 a.m.
Rivera said that it was an open invitation for everyone.
A lot of players decided not to attend the last rehearsal before the team left for Miami. Gault walked down the aisle of the plane to ask who wanted to participate in the game.
The Bears lost and some players objected to it before the game, so only 24 players went to the video shoot. McMahon and Payton were included in the video after agreeing to do so.
Ditka told us after it came out. Rivera told them to go out and do it.
Running hills was a workout that became famous. He used them to stay in shape when he wasn't practicing. Rivera ran behind the football stadium on 10 hills.
Rivera was not practicing because of an injury. After he received treatment, he asked Rivera to run some hills. Rivera had to say "OK"
Rivera pointed to a 50-foot hill with a 20- degree incline outside his office and said the one in Platteville was longer and more steep. Rivera had to run 10 as well.
Rivera said that he followed him after he started going. It wasn't easy to keep up with him. You are right there in the first couple. He's leaving after that. He's using a tobacco product. He did that, though. He just worked out. One of the greatest people of all time. He was a great worker.
McMichael is a "uniquely clever" guy according to Rivera. Rivera said it was cowboy wisdom. He said that McMichael, stricken withALS, is still sharp even now.
Rivera told a story about a player called Mongo.
One year ago, we had a young running back from Texas who was being worn down by Ming. He wore this kid down every chance he had. The kid would get up after he was hit and walked back to the huddle. That's correct, said Ming. That is correct. One day, the kid came out, and Ming threw him to the ground.
A kid pushed a man. The man hit the other man after turning around. The man turned his head quickly because he caught him on the cheek. He said, "You're going to be okay now." The pup just doesn't bark and bites. That's great. It was all done. He didn't pick on the child anymore. The child was going to be fine. He was able to test people.
The National Football League didn't have many 300-pound players when the Bears drafted him. He was one of at least 15 players who fit that description. Do you think now is the right time? There are 10 such players on the Commanders' roster.
He became a household name in 1985 because Ditka used him on offense and he scored two touchdown in the Super Bowl.
At times he stood alone because of his personality.
Ryan called him a wasted draft pick, and he wasn't wanted by the coach. He started nine games as a first year.
Rivera said that it was rare to have a 300-pound man with his athletic ability.
He could see it on the basketball court and on the football field.
Rivera said that he would vouch for the fact that the guy dunked. I was watching. The two of us used to play basketball. The area we lived in was the same. We played basketball at the same club. I'm not joking. The young man went up and dunked the ball in the air. In 1985 that was very rare. He was a great athlete and also a good person. Those were the type of people we had.
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