91-451: Tony Simmons may refer to: Tony Simmons (born 1974), former National Football and Canadian Football League wide receiver, current American football coach internationally Tony Simmons (born 1948), British athlete See also [ edit ] Anthony Simmons (disambiguation) [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about people with
182-638: A tight end for the Bears from 1961 to 1966 , was hired to coach the team by George Halas in 1982 . His gritty personality earned him the nickname "Iron Mike". The team reached the NFC Championship game, losing to the San Francisco 49ers 23–0, in 1984. In the 1985 season the fire in the Bears–Packers rivalry was re-lit when Ditka used 315-pound defensive tackle "Refrigerator" Perry as
273-654: A 17–7 victory over the Los Angeles Tigers, who were a quickly put together team of West Coast college all-stars. After a loss to San Francisco, the Bears cruised to a 60–3 over a semi-pro team called the Portland All Stars. Any hopes that Grange would lead the Bears to glory in 1926 were quickly dashed. A failed contract talk led to Grange bolting to the AFL's New York Yankees , owned by Pyle. The Bears also lost star quarterback Joey Sternaman , who joined
364-483: A 24–17 victory over the Green Bay Packers . The Bears finished the 2018 season with a 12–4 record. They lost to the defending Super Bowl Champions Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round of the playoffs after Cody Parkey 's game-winning field goal attempt was partially tipped and hit the uprights in the final seconds of the game, a play coined the " Double Doink ". Despite the first-round exit, Nagy
455-528: A 24–21 win over the Cincinnati Bengals , making Trestman the fourth head coach in Bears history to win in his coaching debut, after George Halas (1920), Neill Armstrong (1978) and Dick Jauron (1999). The Bears ended the 2013 season 8–8, barely missing the playoffs after losing in the final week of the season to the Packers. Despite having a second-ranked offense that set numerous franchise records,
546-438: A day after the death of George Halas, his oldest daughter, Virginia McCaskey, took over as the majority owner of the team. Her husband, Ed McCaskey , succeeded her father as the chairman of the board. Their son Michael became the third president in team history. Mrs. McCaskey holds the honorary title of "secretary of the board of directors", but has been called the glue that holds the franchise together. Mrs. McCaskey's reign as
637-471: A day of his final game as a collegian. Despite much of the on-field success, the Bears were a team in trouble. They faced the problem of increased operating costs and flatlined attendance. The Bears would only draw roughly 5,000–6,000 fans a game, while a University of Chicago game would draw 40,000–50,000 fans a game. By adding top college football draw Red Grange to the roster, the Bears knew that they found something to draw more fans to their games. C.C. Pyle
728-594: A distinction with two other NFL players who also attended both St. Rita and the University of Wisconsin–Madison : former high school and college teammate Ahmad Merritt , and former Chicago Bear Dennis Lick . Simmons and Merritt played against each other and caught touchdown passes in World Bowl IX . In April 2011, Simmons was inducted into the St. Rita High School Hall of Fame. Simmons played college football at
819-409: A former Bears assistant under Ditka and Wannstedt) backed out of taking the head coaching position. The Bears scheduled a press conference to announce the hiring before McGinnis agreed to contract terms. Soon after Jauron's hiring, Mrs. McCaskey fired her son Michael as president, replacing him with Ted Phillips and promoting Michael to chairman of the board . Phillips became the first man outside of
910-645: A position that he held until his death in 1983. In his honor, the NFL named the NFC Championship trophy as the George Halas Memorial Trophy . After the merger, the Bears finished the 1970 season last place in their division, a repeat of their placing in the 1969 season . In 1975 , the Bears drafted Walter Payton from Jackson State University with their first pick. He won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award in
1001-461: A result of two separate injuries. Backup quarterback Brian Hoyer started the next three games before a broken arm put him out for the season. He was replaced by Matt Barkley , who made his first career start with the Bears. None of the three quarterbacks returned for the 2017 season. In the 2017 NFL draft , the team selected quarterback Mitchell Trubisky with the second-overall pick, who sat behind newly signed quarterback Mike Glennon for
SECTION 10
#17327872919071092-537: A running back in a touchdown play at Lambeau Field , against the Packers. The Bears won their ninth NFL Championship, first since the AFL-NFL merger , in Super Bowl XX after the 1985 season in which they dominated the NFL with their then-revolutionary 46 defense and a cast of characters that recorded the novelty rap song " The Super Bowl Shuffle ". The season was notable in that the Bears had only one loss,
1183-401: A setback as the team went 4–12. The team improved to a 7–9 record in 2003 but still missed the postseason. Jauron was fired following the end of the 2003 season. Lovie Smith , hired on January 15, 2004, is the third post-Ditka head coach. Joining the Bears as a rookie head coach, Smith brought the highly successful Tampa 2 defensive scheme with him to Chicago. Before his second season with
1274-545: A thousand games since becoming a charter member of the NFL in 1920 . Through the 2010 season, they led the NFL in overall franchise wins with 704 and had an overall record of 704–512–42 (going 687–494–42 during the regular season and 17–18 in the playoffs). On November 18, 2010, the Bears recorded franchise win number 700 in a win against the Miami Dolphins . The Bears made one of the biggest trades in franchise history, acquiring Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler from
1365-808: Is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the New England Patriots , Cleveland Browns , Indianapolis Colts , Houston Texans and New York Giants . He has also played for the Edmonton Eskimos , BC Lions of the Canadian Football League , Triangle Razorbacks in the National Ligaen in Denmark and for
1456-479: The 1977–78 season . Payton would go on to eclipse Jim Brown 's NFL career rushing record in 1984 before retiring in 1987, and would hold the mark until 2002 , when Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys surpassed it. Payton's career and personality would capture the hearts of Bear fans, who called him "Sweetness". He died from a rare form of liver cancer in 1999 at the age of 45. On November 1, 1983,
1547-399: The 1996 Washington Redskins ), and Smith was fired on December 31. Then- CFL head coach and former NFL journeyman Marc Trestman was hired to succeed Smith after an exhaustive search that included at least 13 known candidates. On March 20, 2013, Brian Urlacher's 13-year tenure with the Bears ended when both sides failed to agree on a contract. The Trestman era began on September 8 with
1638-590: The 2006 season, winning their first playoff game since 1995, and earning a trip to Super Bowl XLI . However, they fell short of the championship, losing 29–17 to the Indianapolis Colts . Following the 2006 season, the club decided to give Smith a contract extension through 2011, at roughly $ 5 million per year. This comes a season after being the lowest-paid head coach in the National Football League. The club has played in over
1729-624: The 2023 Mexican League of Football season (LFA) he is the wide receiver coach of the Dinos in Saltillo, Coahuila. Simmons attended St. Rita High School on Chicago's south side . In 1993, he was named Chicago Sun-Times Prep Athlete of the Year for his participation in both football and track . As a senior, Simmons won the state championship in the 100- and 200-meter dash events with times of 10.5 seconds and 21.58 seconds, respectively. He shares
1820-518: The Brizzolara family (who own 8.33%), which amounts to an 80.33% ownership stake, allowing her to control the team. Former chairman and CEO of Aon Corp. Pat Ryan (17.67%) and former Aon director Andrew J. McKenna 's estate (2%) own the remainder 19.67% of the club. Ryan is also a board member. The McCaskey family has right of first refusal on stock sale, while Ryan's block has second refusal rights. In 2020, Forbes magazine reported that
1911-651: The Cabo Marlins as its first head coach in its inaugural year in the Mexican Fútbol Americano de México (FAM). The season was cut short in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic . He also served as offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, special-teams coordinator, and strength/speed coach, recruiter, team manager, and business consultant. In 2022, Simmons signed as wide receivers coach for
SECTION 20
#17327872919072002-545: The Carolina Panthers in exchange for wide receiver D. J. Moore and multiple draft picks. The Bears opened the 2023 season with a 0–4 record, extending the team losing streak to 14 (longest in team history; dating back to the 2022 season). The team bounced back by winning five of their last eight games, but finished with a 7–10 record, placing last in the NFC North for the second consecutive season. However,
2093-541: The Chicago Bulls of the AFL . The Bears replaced Grange with Paddy Driscoll, a star football player in his own right. The Bears used the money made from the Grange barn-storming tour to sign the man that replaced him. Grange split his time between making movies and playing football. However, the time was not right to have two competing pro football leagues, and the AFL folded after only one season. Grange would return to
2184-565: The Decatur Staleys , the club was established by the A. E. Staley food starch company of Decatur, Illinois as a company team. This was the typical start for several early professional football franchises. The team played independently in 1919 , winning the Central Illinois Championship. The company hired George Halas and Edward "Dutch" Sternaman in 1920 to run the team. The 1920 Decatur Staleys season
2275-503: The Denver Broncos in exchange for Kyle Orton and draft picks on April 2, 2009. After a disappointing 2009 campaign with the team going 7–9, Mike Martz was hired as the team's offensive coordinator on February 1, 2010. On March 5, 2010, the Bears signed defensive end Julius Peppers , running back Chester Taylor , and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna , spending over $ 100 million on the first day of free agency. Also during
2366-578: The EFLI Elite Football of India to help develop coaches and players as a coaching consultant, coach, and referee in the first-ever American football played in India. He also served as offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, special-teams coordinator, strength/speed coach, and referee. In April 2012, Simmons joined the Austrian team Amstetten Thunder as head coach and helped coordinate
2457-528: The Green Bay Packers is one of the oldest and most storied in American professional sports, dating back to 1921 (the Green Bay Packers were an independent team until they joined the NFL in 1921). In one infamous incident that year, Halas got the Packers expelled from the league in order to prevent their signing a particular player, and then graciously got them re-admitted after the Bears had closed
2548-613: The Green Bay Packers , with whom they have a long-standing rivalry . The franchise was founded in Decatur, Illinois , on September 20, 1919, became professional on September 17, 1920, and moved to Chicago in 1921. It is one of two remaining franchises from the NFL founding in 1920, along with the Arizona Cardinals , which began in Chicago. The team played home games at Wrigley Field on Chicago's North Side through
2639-639: The Moscow Patriots as head coach. He also served as offensive coordinator, coaching consultant, special-teams coordinator, and strength/speed coach. The Patriots won the Russian American Football Championship with a perfect season. Simmons also served as the head coach, coaching consultant, offensive coordinator, and strength/speed coach for the Russia national American Football team . In October 2016, Simmons joined
2730-611: The National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NFL Championships , eight prior to the AFL–NFL merger and one Super Bowl . They also hold the NFL records for the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the most retired jersey numbers. The Bears' NFL championships and overall victories are second behind
2821-720: The Panthers Wrocław in the European League of Football . In 2023, Simmons signed as offensive pass coordinator and wide receivers coach for the Dinos Saltillo in the Liga de Futbol Americano . Chicago Bears 1970 due to renovations to Wrigley Field : 2002 due to renovations to Soldier Field : The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago . The Bears compete in
Tony Simmons - Misplaced Pages Continue
2912-540: The Polo Grounds . From 1940 to 1947, quarterback Sid Luckman led the Bears to victories in four out of the five NFL Championship Games in which they appeared. The team acquired the University of Chicago 's discarded nickname " Monsters of the Midway " and their famous helmet wishbone-C , as well as a newly penned theme song that declared them "The Pride and Joy of Illinois". One famous victory during that period
3003-532: The "unlucky 13th" game of the season, a Monday night affair in which they were defeated by the Miami Dolphins . At the time, much was made of the fact that the 1972 Dolphins were the only franchise in history to have had an undefeated season and post-season . The Dolphins came close to setting up a rematch in the Super Bowl, but lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC title game . "The Super Bowl Shuffle"
3094-481: The 1970 season; playing since then at Soldier Field on the Near South Side , adjacent to Lake Michigan . The team headquarters, Halas Hall , is in the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois . The Bears practice at adjoining facilities there during the season, and began hosting training camp at Halas Hall in 2020 after major renovations. In March of 1920 a man telephoned me ... George Chamberlain and he
3185-736: The 2010 offseason, Michael McCaskey was replaced by brother George McCaskey as chairman of the Bears. With a 38–34 win against the New York Jets , the Bears clinched the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye for the 2010–11 NFL playoffs . In their first Playoff game since Super Bowl XLI , The Bears defeated the No. 4 seed Seattle Seahawks 35–24 in the Divisional Round. The Bears reached the NFC Championship Game, where they played Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field – only
3276-801: The 2014 Maple League season. He also served as coaching consultant. In January 2015, Simmons joined the Briganti Napoli to serve as their head coach in the Italian league second division below the Italian Football League . He also served as offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, special-teams coordinator, and strength/speed coach. In July 2015, Simmons joined the Bluefield College Rams to serve as their receivers/tight end coach and assistant strength conditioning coach. In November 2015, Simmons joined
3367-405: The Bears had to settle for second place behind Cleveland. Their only losing season came in 1929 . During the 1920s the club was responsible for triggering the NFL's long-standing rule that a player could not be signed until his college's senior class had graduated. The NFL took that action as a consequence of the Bears' aggressive signing of famous University of Illinois player Red Grange within
3458-486: The Bears had two head coaches, Dave Wannstedt and Dick Jauron . While both head coaches led the team to the playoffs once (Wannstedt in 1994 and Jauron in 2001), neither was able to accumulate a winning record or bring the Bears back to the Super Bowl. Therefore, the 1990s was largely considered to be a disappointment. Before the Bears hired Jauron in January 1999, Dave McGinnis (Arizona's defensive coordinator, and
3549-406: The Bears hired Ryan Poles as their general manager. The team hired Matt Eberflus as the franchise's 17th head coach two days later. The Bears struggled throughout the 2022 season , which included a franchise-record 10-game losing streak. They finished with an NFL worst 3–14 record, which secured the team the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft . The Bears traded the first overall pick to
3640-510: The Bears saw improvements from 2014; after USA Today projected the Bears to win three games, they doubled that total and finished the season with a 6–10 record, including a Thanksgiving win over the Packers at Lambeau Field. However, during the 2016 season, the Bears regressed heavily, compiling a 3–13 record (their worst since the NFL's change to 16-game seasons in 1978). The season included several injuries to starters and secondary players, including Jay Cutler, who only played five games as
3731-523: The Bears were incorporated at an NFL meeting, as "a new league team" after its name change. At season's end, the two competed with agent Bill Harley for ownership of the Staleys, after he negotiated a contract that was to give his brother Chic Harley and himself one-third ownership of the team as part of his contract. However, Halas and Sternaman claimed that the contract was voided when a physical revealed health impairments resultant from Harley's time in
Tony Simmons - Misplaced Pages Continue
3822-520: The Bears, the team rehired their former offensive coordinator and then Illinois head coach Ron Turner to improve the Bears' struggling offense. In 2005 , the Bears won their division and reached the playoffs for the first time in four years. Their previous playoff berth was earned by winning the NFC Central in 2001 . The Bears improved upon their success the following season, by clinching their second consecutive NFC North title during Week 13 of
3913-622: The Bears, with Caleb Hanie playing, lost five straight before winning against the Minnesota Vikings with Josh McCown starting over Hanie. At season's end, general manager Jerry Angelo was fired, and former Chiefs director of scouting and former Bears scout Phil Emery was brought in. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz resigned, and eventually retired, and was replaced by offensive line coach Mike Tice . The Bears made another notable move by trading for Miami Dolphins receiver and Pro Bowl MVP Brandon Marshall . The Bears became
4004-498: The Bears. After the financial losses of the 1932 Championship season, Halas' partner Dutch Sternaman left the organization. Halas maintained full control of the Bears until his death in 1983. He also coached the team off-and-on for forty seasons, an NFL record. In the 1932 "Unofficial" NFL Championship , the Bears defeated the Portsmouth Spartans in the first NFL playoff game. Due to blizzard conditions in Chicago,
4095-710: The Békéscsaba Raptors in the Hungarian American Football League . Simmons has been a football coach for well over a decade, all over the world. In 2020, he was scheduled to be the head coach for the Cabo Marlins of the Fútbol Americano de México , but the season was ultimately canceled due to COVID. In the 2022 European League of Football season he is the wide receiver coach of the Panthers Wrocław in Poland. In
4186-572: The Halas-McCaskey family to run the team. From 1997 to 2000, the Bears suffered four consecutive last place finishes within the division. In the 2001 season, Jim Miller took over as the primary starting quarterback and helped lead the Bears to a resurgent 13–3 record and division title. The 2001 team did not see any postseason success as they fell 33–19 to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round. The 2002 season saw
4277-746: The Sao Paulo Spartans as head coach. He also served as offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, special-teams coordinator, and strength/speed coach. In January 2017, Simmons joined the Lausanne LUCAF Owls as head coach. The Owls played in the National League B (the second highest level league in Switzerland) below the Nationalliga A . The team finished in fourth place. In July 2017 and July 2018, Simmons
4368-764: The Senior team to the playoffs and the U17 team to a championship. In 2019, he help lead the Senior team to a Runner-Up finish in the Championship and the U17 to a third-place finish. In October 2018, Simmons joined the Rosenheim Rebels as the Team consultant. During his time with the Rebels, he developed and implemented recruiting camps, football skills camps, and sports performance training at Transformers Gymnasium for
4459-907: The Triangle Razorbacks in Denmark National Ligaen . The Razorbacks reached Mermaid Bowl Danish championship game, losing to the Søllerød Gold Diggers with final score of 13–0. Simmons had 43 receptions and 8 touchdowns during the Razorbacks 10–0 regular season. In January 2011, Simmons joined the Hungarian team Békéscsaba Raptors as a player and coach. The team played in the Hungarian American Football League (second division) and finished 2nd place. In 2010, Simmons
4550-447: The University of Wisconsin–Madison. He left Wisconsin as the school's all-time leader in touchdown receptions with 23 (this record has since been broken by Lee Evans ), earning him the nickname "Touchdown Tony" among the Camp Randall faithful. He also competed in track Wisconsin and he is a Big Ten 100m (10.15) and 200m (20.44) Champion. He was part of the 1995-1997 Triple Crown Champions (Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track) Simmons
4641-436: The bright orange-and-blue colors of his alma mater, the University of Illinois , and the Bears adopted those colors as their own, albeit in a darker shade of each (the blue is Pantone 5395, navy blue , and the orange is Pantone 1665, similar to burnt orange). The Staleys/Bears dominated the league in the early years. Their rivalry with the Chicago Cardinals , the oldest in the NFL (and a crosstown rival from 1920 to 1959),
SECTION 50
#17327872919074732-476: The cast of American Grit an American reality television series starring WWE wrestler John Cena filmed at the foothills of Mount Rainier in Eatonville, Washington that premiered on Fox on April 14, 2016. Simmons finished third in the competition. In January 2016, Simmons joined the Warsaw Sharks as head coach. He also served as offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, special-teams coordinator, and strength/speed coach. In May 2016, Simmons joined
4823-519: The city of Rosenheim. He helped develop with coaches the Rebels' new aggressive football playbooks and schemes. In the following season, the Rebels won there German regional league Championship which is a lower division of the German Football League In July 2019, Simmons joined the Melton Wolves as head coach. He also served as offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, special-teams coordinator, and strength/speed coach, recruiter, team manager, and sports consultant. In January 2020, Simmons joined
4914-487: The club was renamed the Chicago Staleys ; Under an agreement reached by Halas and Sternaman with Staley, they received US$ 5,000 to keep the name "Staleys" for the 1921 season. In 1922, Halas changed the team name from the Staleys to the Bears . The team moved into Wrigley Field , home of the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise. As with several early NFL franchises, the Bears derived their nickname from their city's baseball team (bears' young are called "cubs"). Halas liked
5005-430: The deal with that player. The franchise was an early success under Halas, capturing the NFL Championship in 1921 and remaining competitive throughout the decade. In 1924 the Bears claimed the Championship after defeating the Cleveland Bulldogs on December 7, even putting the title "World's Champions" on their 1924 team photo. But the NFL had ruled that games after November 30 did not count towards league standings, and
5096-415: The defense greatly worsened as it set franchise worsts in categories like yards allowed (6,313). The following season was a disaster for the Bears, with the offense regressing to finish outside the top 20 in scoring. The team also allowed 50-point games in two straight weeks against the Patriots and Packers, including a franchise-high 42 points and NFL-record six touchdowns allowed in the first half against
5187-406: The first four games before taking over. The Bears ended the season 5–11 and again finished last in the NFC North. On January 1, 2018, Fox was fired, ending his tenure in Chicago with a 14–34 record. The Bears hired Matt Nagy from the Kansas City Chiefs as their new head coach in January 2018. General manager Ryan Pace signed receivers Taylor Gabriel , Allen Robinson , and Trey Burton in
5278-403: The first team in NFL history to return six interceptions for touchdowns in the first seven games of the season, with another pick-six by Brian Urlacher in Week 9 bringing Chicago two behind the record set by the 1961 San Diego Chargers . However, the Bears missed the playoffs with a record of 10–6 (after starting the season 7–1, the first team to start with the record and miss the playoffs since
5369-454: The franchise is worth $ 3.525 billion, making it the seventh richest franchise in the NFL. Chicago is the third largest media market in the United States. In a Crain's Chicago Business article, one businessman described his wishes for the team to maximize its potential. In 2009, Yahoo! Sports listed the McCaskeys as the third worst owner in the NFL, stating "[T]hey get less for what they've got than any team in our league." The club
5460-403: The franchise's most elite quarterbacks. Between 1939 and 1950, he set the Bears' passing records for most career touchdowns, yards, and completions. Many of Luckman's records stood for decades before they were eclipsed by Jay Cutler in 2014 . Cutler then went on to break Luckman's franchise record for most career passing touchdowns a year later in 2015 . After declining throughout the 1950s,
5551-428: The front office. He became the only person to be involved with the NFL throughout the first 60 years of its existence. He was also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's first induction class in 1963. As the only living founder of the NFL at the February 1970 merger between the NFL and the American Football League , the owners honored Halas by electing him the first President of the National Football Conference ,
SECTION 60
#17327872919075642-417: The game was played at Chicago Stadium , marking it as the first indoor American football game. The success of the playoff game led the NFL to institute a championship game. In the first NFL Championship , the Bears played against the New York Giants , defeating them 23–21. The teams met again in the 1934 NFL Championship where the Giants , wearing sneakers defeated the Bears 30–13 on a cold, icy day at
5733-416: The importance of physical education, teamwork, and demonstrating the discipline to work hard towards one's goals. The maiden Ezekiel Ansah Football Camp commenced on July 14, 2017, at the Presbyterian Senior Secondary Schools. In January 2018 – July 2019, Simmons joined the Eidsvoll 1814s in the Norges Amerikanske Idretters Forbund as offensive coordinator and strength/speed coach. In 2018, he helped lead
5824-469: The latter, to become the first team since the 1923 Rochester Jeffersons to allow at least 50 points in consecutive games. The Bears ended the year 5–11 and last in the NFC North. Trestman and Emery were fired after the season ended. The Bears hired Ryan Pace of the New Orleans Saints to be their new general manager on January 8, 2015. On January 16, 2015, John Fox accepted a four-year deal to become head coach. In Fox's first season as head coach,
5915-446: The offense and defense. The Thunder played in Austria's second division below the Austrian Football League and reached the division 2 playoffs. In January 2013, Simmons joined the Italian team Cagliari Crusaders as head coach. He also served as offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, special-teams coordinator, and strength/speed coach. Simmons agreed to a deal with the Kouvola Indians to serve as their offensive coordinator for
6006-402: The offseason to complement second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky . The Bears also acquired linebacker Khalil Mack in a block-blockbuster trade from the Oakland Raiders to further bolster their defense, sending a package of draft picks that includes 2019 and 2020 1st round draft picks in exchange. Nagy's Bears clinched the NFC North on December 16, 2018, for the first time since 2010 with
6097-405: The owner of the Bears was not planned, as her father originally earmarked her brother, George "Mugs" Halas Jr. as the heir apparent to the franchise. However, he died of a severe heart attack in 1979. Her impact on the team is well-noted as her own family has dubbed her "The First Lady of Sports", and the Chicago Sun-Times has listed her as one of Chicago's most powerful women. Mike Ditka ,
6188-416: The regular-season champion Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europa . He finished the season with 32 catches for 538 yards and caught seven touchdowns. Simmons played from 2004 to 2007 for the Edmonton Eskimos and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He recorded 34 receptions for 504 yards, averaging 14.8 yards with four touchdowns. The BC Lions won the 94th Grey Cup . In 2010, Simmons played for
6279-410: The roles of Piccolo and Sayers respectively; Jack Warden won an Emmy Award for his performance as Halas. The movie was later released for theater screenings after first being shown on television. Despite Hall of Fame careers, Butkus and Sayers would also have their careers cut short due to injuries, hamstringing the Bears of this era. Halas retired as coach in 1967 and spent the rest of his days in
6370-524: The same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tony_Simmons&oldid=950033805 " Category : Human name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Tony Simmons (gridiron football) Tony De'Angelo Simmons (born December 8, 1974)
6461-422: The second playoff meeting between the two storied rivals, the only other game played in 1941. The Bears lost the game, 21–14. The team started the 2011 season strong with a 7–3 record, and running back Matt Forté led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage. Eventually, quarterback Jay Cutler fractured his thumb, and Forté also was lost for the season against the Kansas City Chiefs after spraining his MCL, and
6552-548: The team acquired the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft , which was part of their previous trade with the Panthers, who finished the 2023 season with worst record in the NFL. The top overall pick was used on USC quarterback Caleb Williams. The team is primarily owned by the heirs of George Halas. His daughter, Virginia Halas McCaskey (holds 22.6% of the team shares), is the principal owner and votes on behalf of her 11 children and two nephews (who each own 3.8%) as well as
6643-412: The team rebounded in 1963 to capture its eighth NFL Championship, which would be its last until 1985. The late 1960s and early-1970s produced notable players like Dick Butkus , Gale Sayers , and Brian Piccolo , who died of embryonal carcinoma in 1970. The American television network ABC aired a movie about Piccolo in 1971 entitled Brian's Song , starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams in
6734-415: The team through prior gifts and sales. After Mugs' death in 1979, Halas Sr. owned a 49.35% interest in the Bears, Mugs' estate owned a 19.67% interest, while Virginia McCaskey, Jim Finks (3.5%, which he later relinquished when he resigned as the team GM ), Charles Brizzolara, Robert and Carol Brizzolara in joint tenancy, and Nancy Lorenz owned the remaining outstanding shares. In 1981, the shareholders merged
6825-470: The team to move Training Camp from Ward Field on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois to Lake Forest for 2020. The Bears opened the 2020 season with a 5–1 record. However, they lost their next six games. The Bears won three of their last four games to finish the season with an 8–8 record. Despite their finish, the Bears qualified for the 2020–21 NFL playoffs , which
6916-631: The war. The other league owners agreed to nullify the deal in favor of the Halas/Sternaman partnership by an 8–2 vote. In addition, Halas and Sternaman offered a share of the team to Paddy Driscoll, but the move was blocked by the owners in the NFL's June meeting, after the Chicago Cardinals (Driscoll's team) activated the league's reserve clause . In 1931, Sternaman offered to sell his stake to Halas for $ 38,000 to focus on his other businesses. Halas’ purchase agreement with Sternaman
7007-409: Was able to secure a $ 2,000 per game contract for Grange, and in one of the first games, the Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers, 21–0. However, Grange remained on the sidelines while learning the team's plays from Bears quarterback Joey Sternaman . Later in 1925, The Bears would go on a barnstorming tour, showing off the best football player of the day. 75,000 people paid to see Grange lead the Bears to
7098-484: Was an assistant coach with Danish team Triangle Razorbacks. The Razorbacks played in the Mermaid Bowl Danish championship game, losing to the Søllerød Gold Diggers with final score of 13–0. In January 2011, Simmons coached the Hungarian team Békéscsaba Raptors. The team reached the Hungarian American Football League second division Pannon Bowl and finished 2nd place. In January 2012, Simmons joined
7189-528: Was expanded to include one additional wildcard team from each conference. The New Orleans Saints defeated the Bears in the opening round of the playoffs, 21–9. The team did not re-sign Trubisky after the 2020 season and instead allowed him to become a free agent. Prior to the 2021 season , the Bears traded up in the 2021 NFL draft to select quarterback Justin Fields 11th overall. The team also signed veteran quarterback Andy Dalton in free agency. Dalton
7280-427: Was founded by A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company owner Augustus Eugene Staley in 1919 and was owned by the company until 1921. In 1921, Staley felt he could no longer afford the expensive burden of pro-football and transferred team ownership to Halas and paid him $ 5,000 for a sponsorship deal that kept the Staleys name for one more year. Halas than added Edward "Dutch" Sternaman as a second owner. On January 28, 1922,
7371-491: Was general superintendent of the A.E. Staley Company ... In 1919, [the company's Fellowship Club] had formed a football team. It had done well against other local teams but Mr. Staley wanted to build it into a team that could compete successfully with the best semi-professional and industrial teams in the country ... Mr. Chamberlain asked if I would like to come to Decatur and work for the Staley Company. Originally named
7462-413: Was initially declared the Bears starting quarterback, but Fields won the position after Dalton was injured. The Bears finished the season with a 6–11 record and missed the playoffs. Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace were fired after the season's conclusion. Nagy posted a 34–33 record over four seasons with two playoff berths, while Pace compiled a 48–65 record over seven seasons. On January 25, 2022,
7553-489: Was key in four out of the first six league titles. During the league's first six years, the Bears lost twice to the Canton Bulldogs (who took two league titles over that span), and split with their crosstown rival Cardinals (going 4–4–2 against each other over that span), but no other team in the league defeated the Bears more than a single time. During that span, the Bears posted 34 shutouts. The Bears' rivalry with
7644-502: Was later bought off of his widow Violet for $ 50,000 in 1949 ) and he also arranged a bank loan for the remaining $ 5,000 needed to pay off Sternaman: "But it was a mighty close call. As I remember, I finally got all the money together at 11:10 a.m. on the day the final note came due. Forfeit time was 12 o’clock noon." Halas remained the club's president and principal owner until his death on October 31, 1983. Halas' children, George "Mugs" Halas Jr. and Virginia McCaskey acquired stock in
7735-569: Was named Coach of the Year by the Pro Football Writers Association and Associated Press . He was the first Bears coach to be given the AP award since Lovie Smith in 2005 and the fifth in team history. In 2019, the team regressed to an 8–8 record, though Nagy's combined 20 wins in 2018 and 2019 were the most by a Bears head coach in his first two seasons. During the year, renovations to Halas Hall were completed, allowing
7826-545: Was selected into the NFL in the second round (52nd overall pick) of the 1998 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. Simmons played five seasons as a pro with the New England Patriots , Cleveland Browns , Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants . He amassed 58 receptions for 998 yards with six touchdowns, averaging 20.8 receiving yards per game. Simmons also had 12 punt/kick returns for 241 yards, averaging 20.1 yards per return. In 2001, Simmons starred for
7917-624: Was the Head Camp Director of the Ezekiel Ansah Football Camp. Ezekiel Ansah is a fellow NFL athlete. The 2-day inaugural Ezekiel Ansah Football Camp had more than 500 participants from various schools in the Accra metropolis. The students enjoyed lots of giveaways and had fun learning the game of football. The aim of the camp is to introduce a set of skills often used in the sport of American football while promoting
8008-431: Was their 73–0 victory over the favored Washington Redskins at Griffith Stadium in the 1940 NFL Championship Game ; the score is still an NFL record for lopsided results. The secret behind the one-sided outcome was the introduction of a new offensive formation by Halas. The T-formation , as Halas named it, involved two running backs instead of the traditional one in the backfield. Luckman established himself as one of
8099-427: Was their inaugural regular season completed in the newly formed American Professional Football Association (later renamed the National Football League (NFL) in 1922). Full control of the team was turned over to Halas and Sternaman in 1921. Official team and league records cite Halas as the founder as he took over the team in 1920 when it became a charter member of the NFL. The team moved to Chicago in 1921, where
8190-433: Was to be paid off in installments, and stipulated that if Halas defaulted on any of the payments, ownership of the team reverted to Sternaman. Halas raised the initial funding by selling an 8.33% ownership stake to Ralph Brizzolara , as well as $ 5,000 of shares to Jim McMillen , and George Trafton 's mother, who paid $ 20,000 (Halas later bought her out for $ 40,000). Charles Bidwill purchased $ 5,000 in stock in 1933 (which
8281-529: Was videotaped the day after that Monday night loss in Miami. After the 1985 championship season, the Bears remained competitive throughout the 1980s but failed to return to the Super Bowl under Ditka. Throughout the remainder of his tenure, Ditka led the Bears to five more postseason berths, getting as far as the NFC Championship in the 1988 season. Between the firing of Ditka and the hiring of Lovie Smith ,
#906093