All the Hall of Famers from the '85 team were there, except for coach Mike Ditka and the late Walter Payton and Steve McMichael.

The Vikings looked dead in the water, but JJ McCarthy put the team on his back in the fourth quarter. McCarthy is the first QB to overcome a 10-point deficit in a debut since Steve Young in 1985, and he is the first QB in NFL history to account for three TDs in the fourth quarter of a debut.

The Chicago Bears begin their second season with former No. 1 pick Caleb Williams at QB on Monday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings.

Before the Bears of 40 years ago stormed the NFL’s mountaintop, before they audaciously ‘‘Shuffled,’’ before a ‘‘Refrigerator’’ became America’s favorite appliance — before the 1985 season altogether — they were dragged through the dirt in San Francisco, leaving the great Walter Payton with tears in his eyes.

Doug Flutie was astonished when Pat McCarthy returned his long-lost 1985 Cotton Bowl jacket at a Brockton event. McCarthy had kept the jacket since 19

Trailing 17-6 after three quarters, the Vikings scored three unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Each touchdown was scored by McCarthy, who shook off Nahshon Wright's 74-yard pick-six that extended the Bears' lead to 11 points early in the second half.

The 2007 New England Patriots lead the list of the best NFL team records of all time. Check out which other teams had historically successful seasons.