Chalk Talk: Who's on Bears' Mount Rushmore?

[Staley Da Bear]

Wondering about a player, a past game or another issue involving the Bears? Senior writer Larry Mayer answers a variety of questions from fans on ChicagoBears.com.


Who is on your "Mount Rushmore" for the Bears?
Joe L.
Lincoln, Nebraska


Very interesting question, Joe. The four individuals I'd put on my Bears' Mount Rushmore are Hall of Famers George Halas, Dick Butkus, Mike Ditka and Walter Payton. Halas helped found the Bears and the NFL, was named to the NFL All-Decade Team for the 1920s and retired in the late 1960s as the league's winningest coach. Butkus was arguably the greatest defensive player in Bears history and one of the most ferocious to ever play in the NFL. Ditka epitomized the toughness of the organization, winning league championships as a player and as a head coach. And Payton is considered by most as the greatest player in Bears history. You could probably make a case for Hall of Famers Sid Luckman and Gale Sayers on the Bears' Mount Rushmore. But I don't see how either of them would supplant the four individuals I listed.


Reading that Vince Evans had a perfect passer rating, my question is: How many quarterbacks have had a perfect passer rating in the NFL?
Jeff R.
Freeport, Illinois


Quarterbacks have posted a perfect 158.3 passer rating 77 times in NFL history. The Bears' Vince Evans was the only quarterback to do it during the 1980 season—how's that for a trivia question—when he completed 18 of 22 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns in a 61-7 win over the Packers at Soldier Field. Evans remains the only Bears quarterback to accomplish the feat. The only quarterback to ever produce a perfect rating against the Bears was the Falcons' Bob Lee in 1973. Ben Roethlisberger and Peyton Manning have posted the most "perfect" games with four apiece. To qualify for a 158.3 rating in a game, quarterbacks must throw at least 10 passes and average a minimum of 12.5 yards per attempt with no interceptions, a completion percentage of at least 77.5 percent and an average of at least 11.88 percent of their passes resulting in touchdowns.


Which NFL teams has Nick Foles excelled most against during his career?
Phil C.
Muncie, Indiana


New Bears quarterback Nick Foles has posted a 3-0 record as a starter against both the Rams and Giants. But he's probably had his most individual success versus the Raiders, winning his only two starts while passing for 569 yards with eight touchdowns, one interception and a 123.0 passer rating that's his highest against any NFL team (with a minimum of 10 attempts).


Chalk Talk features fan questions multiple times each week. Email your question to Larry.