Dan Hampton

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Hampton was a key defensive member of the Bears' Super Bowl XX win against the New England Patriots in 1986. He was selected to four Pro Bowls and was a versatile defensive lineman, making All-Pro at both defensive end and defensive tackle. He was 1st or 2nd team All-Pro in 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1988. In 1985, he was credited for inventing the 'Gatorade dump' in which a coach is drenched with the drink after a victory. He was named to the All-Madden team six times and to the 10th Anniversary All-Madden team.

In Their Own Story

The 1984 season showcased Hampton's peak performance as he tied his career-best with 11½ sacks while playing defensive tackle. That year, the Bears set an NFL record for most sacks in a single season with 72 and shared the record for most sacks in a game (12) against the Detroit Lions on December 16. Earlier that season, they also tied the second-most sacks in a game by taking down Minnesota Vikings quarterback Archie Manning 11 times. Hampton was named NFL defensive player of the year by Pro Football Weekly. During the middle of the 1985 Super Bowl run, he signed a four-year extension worth $2.7 million on November 8. However, feeling the "Bears Super Bowl Shuffle" was too cocky, he declined involvement in the project. In a famous anecdote, coach Buddy Ryan later showed Paul Zimmerman film proving Hampton drew constant double teams, making him the true cornerstone of the 46 defense.

Reader's Guide

Hampton played college football at Arkansas and was selected in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft by the Bears. He was part of a Razorback team that thumped the highly favored Oklahoma Sooners in the 1978 Orange Bowl by a score of 31–6. As a senior he was an All-American and was named the Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1978. He was also named by the Houston Post the SWC Player of the Year that same season. In his career at Arkansas, he made a total of 237 tackles with 32 being behind the line of scrimmage and recovered six fumbles.

Did You Know?

• Hampton was co-holder of the record for most sacks in a game with 12, as part of the Bears defense that sacked the Detroit Lions 12 times on December 16, 1984.
• He was named NFL defensive player of the year by Pro Football Weekly in 1982.
• Hampton was the bassist and vocalist for the band 'The Chicago Six' from 1987 to 1990.
• He endured 11 knee surgeries during his football career and had two more just after finishing his 12th NFL season in 1990.