The Chicago Bears have lost a legend within their family. Buddy Ryan, the man behind the 1985 Chicago Bears defense, perhaps the greatest defense in NFL history, has died at 82. Ryan’s health had been in steady decline in recent years after suffering a massive stroke coupled with battling cancer simultaneously.
While Ryan is best known as the defensive coordinator of the 1985 Bears, his coaching career spanned 35 years and he made an impact wherever he coached. Ryan’s career began in 1957 where he coached a few seasons of high school football in Texas. He was hired in 1961 as the defensive line coach at the University of Buffalo.