# @chicago_history on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DeSLIp_vRXy
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/71443875-chicago-history-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/f88b196f45.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-10-09T20:47:16.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Michael Dembov (@chicago_history) — https://gondola.cc/chicago_history

## Caption

Ditka demanded total control, but McMahon affectionately dubbed the “Punky QB” refused to be tamed. Their biggest battleground was the huddle. McMahon regularly changed Ditka’s play calls at the line of scrimmage if he saw a defensive flaw. This infuriated Ditka on the sideline, but because McMahon won games (going 46-15 as a starter under Ditka), “Da Coach” learned to tolerate the insubordination.

The Turning Point: 1985 vs. Minnesota

The ultimate encapsulation of their dynamic happened on a Thursday night in 1985 against the Vikings. McMahon was severely injured with a bad back and a lacerated kidney, so Ditka kept him on the bench. With the Bears losing in the third quarter, McMahon put his helmet on, walked up to Ditka, and demanded to go in. Ditka relented. McMahon proceeded to throw three touchdowns on his first seven snaps, engineering a legendary comeback that cemented their shared trust.

The Mutual Respect

Despite the public yelling matches and media barbs, they shared a deep, blue collar football mentality. McMahon later noted that if Ditka had been a player in his huddle, they would have been best friends because they both played with reckless abandon and hated losing above all else.

Over the years, the tension completely melted away. McMahon regularly attended Ditka’s charity events, and both frequently spoke of each other with immense warmth, pride, and love. 

#ChicagoHistory 🐻 ⬇️

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## Tags

chicagohistory

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