Jim McMahon

The brash, injury-plagued quarterback who led the Bears to their first Super Bowl title.

James Robert McMahon Jr. (born August 21, 1959) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, most notably with the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the BYU Cougars, earning first-team All-American honors in 1980 after leading the NCAA in passing yards and passing touchdowns. The following year, McMahon won the Davey O'Brien Award and the Sammy Baugh Trophy and was named a unanimous All-American. He was selected by the Bears fifth overall in the 1982 NFL draft. McMahon achieved his greatest professional success with the 1985 Bears team that won the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XX. He also received Pro Bowl honors during the season. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

Quick Facts

Position: Quarterback
Born: 21 August 1959
Birthplace: Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
High school: Roy (Roy, Utah)
College: BYU (1977–1981)
Draft year: 1982
Draft pick: 5

Lore & Background

McMahon was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and raised Catholic. He moved with his family to San Jose, California, when he was three, and later to Roy, Utah, where he graduated from Roy High School in 1977. At BYU, he set 32 NCAA records in 1980, including single-season marks for passing yards (4,571) and touchdown passes (47). He led the Cougars to a dramatic comeback win in the 1980 Holiday Bowl, known as the 'Miracle Bowl.' After his playing career, McMahon completed his degree in communications and was inducted into the BYU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014, with his No. 9 jersey retired that same year.

Reader's Guide

McMahon was a rollout passer who learned to square his shoulders to the direction of his throw, enabling tight spirals and accuracy on the run. He frequently changed plays at the line, frustrating coach Mike Ditka but often leading to success. He was also used in goal-line situations, caught touchdown passes on option plays, and served as the emergency punter. Injuries, including a rotator cuff injury after the 1985 season, plagued his later career.