Jim McMahon was a lightning rod in Chicago; Where is he now?
CHICAGO (BVM) – The Chicago Bears have not had a lot of talented QBs throughout their history, but they are hoping rookie Caleb Williams changes that. He has the potential to be their greatest signal caller ever if he lives up to the hype.
One of Williams’ top competitors for that spot is Chicago legend Jim McMahon.
The Jersey City, New Jersey, native was under center for the Bears in the 1980s and helped the franchise win its only Super Bowl. But where is the controversial figure now?
College career
McMahon and his family moved to San Diego when he was young and then they moved again to Roy, Utah, during his junior year of high school. He attended BYU following his prep career and made an instant impact as a freshman as the team’s punter.
He received his first crack at QB in Provo early in his sophomore year but suffered a knee injury late in 1978 that forced him to miss the entirety of the 1979 season.
McMahon came back stronger than ever in 1980 throwing for over 4,500 yards and 47 touchdowns. He was a first-team All-American that season. McMahon followed that up with a strong senior campaign, finishing third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Marcus Allen and Herschel Walker.
The school retired his No. 9 retired in 2014.
Chicago Bears
McMahon was taken with the fifth pick of the 1982 NFL Draft and won the starting QB job before the season. He continued to improve throughout the first few years of his career leading into the Bears’ historic 1985 season. That team was known for its elite defense, but McMahon’s attitude and toughness at the quarterback position helped add to the grit of the franchise.
— Jim McMahon (@JimMcMahon) February 19, 2023
Chicago was perfect in 1985 in games that McMahon started (11) and the team would go on to crush the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX.
McMahon made the only Pro Bowl of his career that year, throwing for 2,392 yards with 18 total touchdowns.
The star QB struggled to stay on the field after that, starting 21 more games for the Bears from 1986-88. McMahon was traded to the San Diego Chargers in 1989, but he was never the same with the five teams he played for after that.
McMahon did win another Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in 1996 as Brett Favre’s backup and he wore a Bears jersey for the team’s trip to the White House.
Honda Scooters (1986)
ft. Jim McMahon pic.twitter.com/HWVe01YxQ2— Vintage NFL (@NFL_vintage) April 29, 2024
After football
Players fear post-career repercussions and unfortunately, McMahon was diagnosed with dementia in 2012 along with his chronic arthritis. McMahon told Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle in 2017 that his health has improved thanks to the help of modern medicine.
McMahon became a frequent golfer after his football career, and he still plays in multiple charity tournaments annually.
