One of the fan-favorite occurrences for the NFL is whenever Sunday or Monday falls on Halloween. Fans will attend games dressed in costumes to celebrate the day, and TV networks will have fun producing games and pre-game shows with Halloween themed graphics. For Chicago Bears fans, one game that always gets mentioned on Halloween is the 1994 Monday Night game against their rival in the Green Bay Packers. The game is remembered for all the wrong reasons for the Bears and the city of Chicago.
The lead up for the 1994 game could not have been any better as the Bears were above .500 and with a win could significantly damage Packers’ playoff hopes. Furthermore, the Monday Night game was going to feature the jersey retirements for Bears’ legends Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus. Both teams would wear their throwback jerseys at part of the NFL’s 75th anniversary. It was slated to be a terrific night for the Bears’ franchise and city, but a deadly storm that would hit the city changed all of that.
Chicago Halloween Stats:
Warmest: 84 (1950)
Coolest High: 31 (1873)
Wettest: 2.26 in. (1994)
Rain Frequency: 50% https://t.co/8CsTMqpfb0— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) October 31, 2017
One of the main reasons why fans and the city remember the game so fondly is because of the terrible nature of the storm. Heavy rain, temperatures in the low 40s, and constant wind gust up to 40mphs battered the city and the Midwest all day and night.
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At 4 pm, just four hours before kickoff, American Eagle flight 4184 crashed in Roselawn, Indiana, nearly 70 miles away from the city. The flight took off from Indianapolis headed for Chicago, but due to the adverse weather conditions resulting in delays at O’Hare Airport, was forced into a holding pattern. The buildup of freezing rain turning to ice would affect the plane’s controls, which led to the crash that killed all 68 people on board.
News of the crash was covered all night and damped the mood of the game as many TV viewers in Chicago turned from the news coverage directly to the game. The game itself was drastically affected by the weather as the high winds limited passes and kicks throughout the game. Packers’ Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre wouldn’t record a single passing yard in the first half nor complete a pass. Despite the struggles passing the ball, the Packers still managed to take a 14-0 halftime lead as Favre scored on a 36-yard touchdown run.
The weather would lead to five fumbles between the two teams and three interceptions from Chicago’s offense. The average punt for either team was only 30 yards as some punts would go straight down at 90-degree angle due to the intensity of the wind.
Despite the terrible weather conditions during the game, the halftime ceremony for Sayers and Butkus still went on as both gave speeches that were muffled by the rain and wind. Of the fans that attended the game, a good portion would leave after halftime due to the weather conditions.
Halloween 1994 – Gale Sayers & Dick Butkus are shown having their jersey numbers retired by the #Chicago #Bears ~ pic.twitter.com/faC89dY7YT
— Chicago History ™️ (@Chicago_History) November 28, 2015
The second half would not prove any better for the Bears as Packers scored two more touchdowns to take a 27-0. Starting quarterback Erik Kramer was benched at halftime in favor of Steve Walsh, who led the team to their only score of the night. The Packers would go on to win the game 33-6. The Bears were embarrassed in front of a national audience. The loss would mark the first of 10 straight losses to the Packers as Favre would annihilate the Bears for years to come.
Every Bears game that takes place on Halloween, the game from 1994 is always a topic of discussion. Highlights of the Monday Night game and the ceremony are shown, which causes fans to reminisce about where they were for that game. Sadly, it also leads to many recalling the fatal crash on the day.
