1988 Chicago Bears season

The 1988 Chicago Bears season was their 69th regular season and 19th postseason completed in the National Football League. This season marked the first time since 1974 that Walter Payton was not on the Bears' opening day roster. The Bears looked to improve on an 11–4 finish that won them the NFC Central Division but ended abruptly when they were eliminated for the second consecutive year by the Washington Redskins.

1988 Chicago Bears season
Head coach	Mike Ditka
Home stadium	Soldier Field
Results
Record	12–4
Division place	1st NFC Central
Playoffs	Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Eagles) 20–12 Lost NFC Championship (vs. 49ers) 3–28
← 1987 Bears seasons 1989 →

The Bears won 12 games and lost 4, tying for the best record in the league with the Buffalo Bills and the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals. They earned home field advantage in the NFC. The Bears defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 20–12 in the "Fog Bowl" game during the Divisional Round of the playoffs. However, the Bears failed to advance to the Super Bowl as one of the NFC's top two seeds for a third straight season, falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers 28–3 in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field. This was the second time that the 49ers and Bears had met for a trip to the Super Bowl during the decade, with the 49ers previously defeating the Bears in the 1984 NFC Championship Game on their way to Super Bowl XIX.

Coach Mike Ditka suffered a heart attack during the season, but was back on the sidelines 11 days later. Ditka was named coach of the year for the second time in his career. 1988 also marked Jim McMahon's last season as starter for the Bears, as he was traded during the following offseason to the San Diego Chargers.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1988 NFL draft

1988 Chicago Bears draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	23	Brad Muster	Fullback	Stanford
1	27	Wendell Davis	Wide receiver	LSU
2	51	Dante Jones	Linebacker	Oklahoma
3	78	Ralph Jarvis	Defensive end	Temple
4	105	James Thornton	Tight end	Cal State-Fullerton
5	133	Troy Johnson	Linebacker	Oklahoma
6	161	Lemuel Stinson	Cornerback	Texas Tech
7	189	Caesar Rentie	Offensive tackle	Oklahoma
8	208	David Tate	Safety	Colorado
8	217	Harvey Reed	Running back	Howard
9	245	Rogie Magee	Wide receiver	LSU
10	273	Joe Porter	Guard	Baylor
11	301	Steve Forch	Linebacker	Nebraska
12	329	Greg Clark	Linebacker	Arizona State
Made roster

Undrafted free agents

1988 undrafted free agents of note

Player	Position	College
Mike Barnard	Tackle	San Jose State
Keith Blue	Guard	Western Illinois
Jeff Burger	Quarterback	Auburn
Richard Ehmke	Kicker	Eastern Illinois
Phil Webb	Running back	Michigan
Dan Young	Defensive tackle	VMI

Roster

1988 Team Starters

Offense

• 9 Jim McMahon QB
• 35 Neal Anderson RB
• 26 Matt Suhey FB
• 85 Dennis McKinnon WR/PR
• 29 Dennis Gentry WR/KR
• 80 James Thornton TE
• 73 John Wojciechowski LT
• 62 Mark Bortz LG
• 63 Jay Hilgenberg C
• 57 Tom Thayer RG
• 78 Keith Van Horne RT

Defense

• 90 Al Harris LDE
• 76 Steve McMichael LDT
• 99 Dan Hampton RDT
• 95 Richard Dent RDE
• 59 Ron Rivera LB
• 50 Mike Singletary LB
• 51 Jim Morrissey LB
• 27 Mike Richardson LCB
• 24 Vestee Jackson RCB
• 22 Dave Duerson SS
• 37 Maurice Douglass FS
• 6 Kevin Butler K
• 15 Bryan Wagner P

Final roster

1988 Chicago Bears roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 4 Jim Harbaugh 9 Jim McMahon 18 Mike Tomczak Running backs (RB) 35 Neal Anderson 25 Brad Muster FB 20 Thomas Sanders KR 26 Matt Suhey FB Wide receivers (WR) 82 Wendell Davis 29 Dennis Gentry 88 Glen Kozlowski KR 85 Dennis McKinnon PR 84 Ron Morris Tight ends (TE) 86 Cap Boso 87 Emery Moorehead 98 Brent Novoselsky 80 James Thornton

Offensive linemen (OL) 54 John Adickes C 79 Kurt Becker G 62 Mark Bortz G 74 Jim Covert T 63 Jay Hilgenberg C 71 Caesar Rentie T 57 Tom Thayer G 78 Keith Van Horne T 73 John Wojciechowski T Defensive linemen (DL) 94 Dick Chapura DT 99 Dan Hampton DT 90 Al Harris DE 76 Steve McMichael DT 75 John Shannon DT 97 Sean Smith DE

Linebackers (LB) 98 Greg Clark LB 92 Troy Johnson OLB 53 Dante Jones MLB 51 Jim Morrissey OLB 52 Mickey Pruitt OLB 59 Ron Rivera OLB 50 Mike Singletary MLB Defensive backs (DB) 37 Maurice Douglass FS 22 Dave Duerson SS 24 Vestee Jackson CB 44 Todd Krumm FS 43 Lorenzo Lynch CB/S 27 Mike Richardson CB 32 Lemuel Stinson CB 49 David Tate SS Special teams (ST)  6 Kevin Butler K 15 Bryan Wagner P

Reserve 21 William Bell S (IR) 68 Paul Blair T (IR) 95 Richard Dent DE (IR) 23 Shaun Gayle S (IR)  9 Jim McMahon QB (IR) 72 William Perry DT (IR) 30 Eric Starr RB (IR) 39 Curtis Stewart RB (IR) 55 Otis Wilson LB (IR) -- Darrin Woody CB (IR) Rookies in italics 47 active, 10 reserve

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 4, 1988	Miami Dolphins	W 34–7	63,330
2	September 11, 1988	at Indianapolis Colts	W 17–13	60,503
3	September 18, 1988	Minnesota Vikings	L 31–7	63,990
4	September 25, 1988	at Green Bay Packers	W 24–6	56,492
5	October 2, 1988	Buffalo Bills	W 24–3	62,793
6	October 9, 1988	at Detroit Lions	W 24–7	64,526
7	October 16, 1988	Dallas Cowboys	W 17–7	64,759
8	October 24, 1988	San Francisco 49ers	W 10–9	65,293
9	October 30, 1988	at New England Patriots	L 30–7	60,821
10	November 6, 1988	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 28–10	56,892
11	November 13, 1988	at Washington Redskins	W 34–14	52,418
12	November 20, 1988	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 27–15	67,070
13	November 27, 1988	Green Bay Packers	W 16–0	62,026
14	December 5, 1988	at Los Angeles Rams	L 23–3	65,579
15	December 11, 1988	Detroit Lions	W 13–12	55,010
16	December 19, 1988	at Minnesota Vikings	L 28–27	62,067

Game summaries

Week 1

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Dolphins	7	0	0	0	7
• Bears	14	14	0	6	34

• Date: September 4
• Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
• Game start: 12:00 p.m.
• Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C) • Wind 16 mph (26 km/h)
• Referee: Pat Haggerty
• TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen

Scoring summary

1		CHI	Neal Anderson 2-yard run (Kevin Butler kick)	Bears 7–0
1		CHI	Neal Anderson 1-yard run (Kevin Butler kick)	Bears 14–0
1		MIA	Mark Clayton 28-yard pass from Dan Marino (Fuad Reveiz kick)	Bears 14–7
2		CHI	Jim McMahon 1-yard run (Kevin Butler kick)	Bears 21–7
2		CHI	Jim McMahon 2-yard run (Kevin Butler kick)	Bears 28–7
4		CHI	Thomas Sanders 20-yard run (kick failed)	Bears 34–7

^[1]

Week 4

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Bears	0	17	0	7	24
Packers	6	0	0	0	6

• Date: September 25
• Location: Lambeau Field
• Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C); wind 10 mph (16 km/h)
• Referee: Tom Dooley
• Television network: CBS

Scoring summary

Q1		GB	Fullwood 2 yard run (kick failed)	GB 6–0
Q2		CHI	Anderson 45 yard run (Butler kick)	CHI 7–6
Q2		CHI	Anderson 4 yard run (Butler kick)	CHI 14–6
Q2		CHI	Butler 35 yard field goal	CHI 17–6
Q4		CHI	Sanders 5 yard run (Butler kick)	CHI 24–6

^[2]

Week 13

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Packers	0	0	0	0	0
• Bears	7	0	7	2	16

• Date: November 27
• Location: Soldier Field
• Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 43 °F (6 °C); wind 20 mph (32 km/h)
• Referee: Pat Haggerty
• TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and John Madden

Scoring summary

Q1		CHI	Anderson 1 yard run (Butler kick)	CHI 7–0
Q3		CHI	Anderson 80 yard run (Butler kick)	CHI 14–0
Q4		CHI	Safety, Majkowski stepped out of end zone	CHI 16–0

^[3]

Standings

NFC Central
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Chicago Bears(1)	12	4	0	.750	6–2	9–3	312	215	L1
Minnesota Vikings(4)	11	5	0	.688	6–2	9–3	406	233	W1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	5	11	0	.313	4–4	4–8	261	350	W1
Detroit Lions	4	12	0	.250	2–6	3–11	220	315	L2
Green Bay Packers	4	12	0	.250	2–6	3–9	240	313	W2

^[4]

Playoffs

In the divisional playoffs, the Bears defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the Fog Bowl, earning their first postseason victory since Super Bowl XX. A week later, Chicago was routed 28–3 by the San Francisco 49ers. This was the Bears' last appearance in the NFC Championship Game until 2006.

Divisional

Further information: Fog Bowl (American football)

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	3	6	3	0	12
• Bears	7	10	0	3	20

• Date: December 31
• Location: Soldier Field • Chicago, Illinois
• Game start: 12:30 p.m. EST
• Game attendance: 65,534
• Game weather: Fog • 25 °F (−4 °C) • Wind 7 mph (11 km/h)
• Referee: Jim Tunney
• TV announcers (CBS): Verne Lundquist & Terry Bradshaw

Scoring summary

1		CHI	Dennis McKinnon 64-yard pass from Mike Tomczak (Kevin Butler kick)	Bears 7–0
1		PHI	Luis Zendejas 42-yard field goal	Bears 7–3
2		PHI	Luis Zendejas 29-yard field goal	Bears 7–6
2		CHI	Neal Anderson 4-yard run (Kevin Butler kick)	Bears 14–6
2		CHI	Kevin Butler 46-yard field goal	Bears 17–6
2		PHI	Luis Zendejas 30-yard field goal	Bears 17–9
3		PHI	Luis Zendejas 35-yard field goal	Bears 17–12
4		CHI	Kevin Butler 27-yard field goal	Bears 20–12

^[5]

NFC Championship

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• 49ers	7	7	7	7	28
Bears	0	3	0	0	3

• Date: January 8
• Location: Soldier Field • Chicago, Illinois
• Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
• Game attendance: 66,946
• Referee: Bob McElwee
• TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall & John Madden

Awards and records

Main article: 1988 NFL season § Awards