*He was born in Minneapolis, but actor Vince Vaughn grew up in Buffalo Grove, Illinois – where he became a fan of every professional sports team out of nearby Chicago.
Including Da Bears.
“I think Jim McMahon showed up with a beer the first time he showed up for his press conference,” Vaughn said of the team’s Super Bowl winning quarterback in his first year. “There was something very unfiltered about these guys. You felt like you knew them, you had a trust with these players, because [Dan] Hampton, all of these guys, were going to tell you what they thought. They were encouraged for it, and it seemed like they had a blast.
Vaughn is the executive producer of “The ‘85 Bears,” the next ESPN “30 for 30” film, premiering Thursday, Feb. 4, at 9 p.m.
“In catching up with them now and seeing where life has taken them, I mean, it’s fascinating to see those kinds of big personalities, who went through so much, and kind of reflect what they are doing today,” said Vaughn.
Director Jason Hehir’s two-hour documentary, while chronicling the team’s exuberant 1985 run toward Super Bowl glory, also spends large chunks of time on the physical heartbreaks that have impacted the team, including Dave Duerson’s suicide, McMahon’s battle with early-onset dementia, defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan’s declining heath and the death of star running back Walter Payton.
At the recent TCA Winter Press Tour, Vaughn spoke about his memories of the 85 Bears, and Payton in particular:
Below, former Bears linebacker Mike Singletary visits his former coach, Buddy Ryan in a scene from “The ’85 Bears”:
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
