The best use of fat since the invention of bacon

This Biscuit was no dumb cookie

Most NFL teams officially open training camp today. This early on, news from camp is not spectacular unless there's an injury to a star player. I figured for today, we'd go back about 4 decades instead.

Not news, but a story…

Thirty-nine years ago, one of the most iconic rookies in the league's history earned himself a nickname in his first NFL camp. Yet, if you follow football, the name his new teammates saddled him with is probably not the moniker you are familiar with.

He was part of one of the most iconic and dominating defenses of all-time, but he made his impact, first, on the other side of the ball.

In the summer at Platteville, Wisconsin before the 1985 season, his Chicago Bears teammates saddled this bulky rookie out of Clemson — also the 22nd overall pick — with the sobriquet, “Biscuit.”

It was all in good fun and his teammates loved him.

Early in the season, Biscuit hadn’t seen much playing time. The big fella was a second-stringer, even though he was remarkably athletic and known to “360-dunk” on a regulation basket — yet only 6’2” and probably well over his listed 308-pound playing weight.

See, Biscuit was a defensive tackle, and in the "46 Defense," the innovative scheme devised by long-time Bears defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, its 8-man front called for just two tackles in the game at any one time.

Competition for playing time on the defensive line was stiff. The two tackles were veterans Dan Hampton — a future Pro Football Hall of Famer — and Steve McMichael — a College Football Hall of Famer, though perhaps better-known for his turn as a pro wrestler.

Ryan was never sold on Biscuit as a defensive lineman and called the first-rounder a “wasted draft-pick.” This was also perhaps a function of the tenuous relationship between Ryan and head coach Mike Ditka, who were often at loggerheads.

Ditka left Ryan to take care of the defensive side of the ball while he ran the offense. But Buddy ran the D and ran it well.

As head coach, Iron Mike also wanted to get Biscuit on the field somehow, some way. He did not want his draft pick "wasted." Plus, it is well known in football circles that they don’t teach 308 and athletic many places.

Speculation is that Biscuit may have been more than a tad larger than the 308 pounds the Bears media guide reported. Rumor has it, Biscuit tipped the scales at just a “biscuit” under 350 pounds.

In their previous campaign, the Bears made it to the 1984 NFC Championship Game and played San Francisco. The Niners beat them but on their way to Super Bowl XIX, Coach Bill Walsh of the 49ers iced the conference championship game by using offensive guard Guy McIntyre in the backfield as a running back. Ditka wanted to someday return the favor when he got the chance.

So, in Week 6, against San Francisco at Candlestick Park, Ditka put Biscuit in at running back for the final two plays of the game of a Bears victory. He took 2 handoffs and tallied 4 yards.

The next week the Bears played on Monday Night Football. It was a rivalry game — Bears vs. Packers at Soldier Field. Early in the second quarter, the Bears were driving, down 7-0.

Ditka inserted Biscuit in the backfield once more, this time to plow a hole for future Hall of Famer Walter Payton. “Sweetness” went in virtually untouched. It tied the ballgame when Kevin Butler kicked the point after.

Roughly three minutes of game clock later, the Bears were near the goal line again.

Quarterback Jim McMahon — instead of giving the ball to Sweetness — handed off to Biscuit, even though Ditka's intention was for Biscuit to be the blocking back on the play.

Touchdown! With Butler’s kick, that made it 14-7.

Another 1-yard dash in the second quarter by Payton (followed by a Butler PAT) and a 4th quarter Otis Wilson sack of Green Bay QB Jim Zorn in the endzone for a safety made for a 23-7 final.

Though Payton was one of the game's premier superstars and coverage often focused on him, fans — not only in Chicago but — across the nation started going berserk for Ditka, McMahon (the punky QB), and the Bears two-way rookie sensation.

Chicago Sun-Times columnist Ray Sons called Ditka’s personnel experiment, “the best use of fat since the invention of bacon.”

In that MNF game against the Packers, Biscuit played just 3 offensive plays but 224-pound linebacker George Cumby met him, head-on, in a collision on each one. To no avail.

“The second time, I hit him flush. That didn’t work,” said Cumby. “I was outweighed by a few pounds.”

The next week, Biscuit got more time on the defensive side. Playing divisional opponent, the Minnesota Vikings, Biscuit notched his first pro sack, nailing Tommy Kramer in the first quarter.

His status as a folk hero was now firmly established in the Windy City thanks to the support of Coach Ditka — and, more importantly, by delivering on the gridiron when called upon.

In week 9, the legend grew. Playing the Packers again, this time at Lambeau Field, Biscuit caught his first pass. Touchdown.

The Bears finished the regular season 15-1, their only loss coming in Week 13 to the Miami Dolphins — the 1984 AFC champs — on Monday Night Football. Chicago marched on through the NFC playoffs to the Super Bowl where they faced the New England Patriots.

This was not the Patriots dynasty squad from the Belichick-Brady era. Yet, this was a good team (11-5) that caught fire in the playoffs, beating some stalwart AFC opponents, including the Dan Marino-led Dolphins in the championship game.

Unfortunately, that fire became a flicker when the Pats stepped on the field in New Orleans for Super Bowl XX. But it wasn't pure domination by the Bears.

Early in that game, Ditka sent in a trick play, which called for Biscuit to go back to pass. Nobody was open. The Patriots sacked him.

But, later in the game, the entire world saw Biscuit plunge into the endzone for a touchdown.

Ryan's defense also held firm, holding the Patriots to 7 yards of rushing while tallying 7 sacks on the New England quarterbacks.

The Bears offense exploded in the game, but Payton, who at the time was the NFL all-time leading rusher, sadly, never hit paydirt in the Super Bowl.

Final score Bears 46 – Patriots 10.

To the casual fan, of course, Biscuit was better known as "The Refrigerator," a nickname he acquired in his freshman year at Clemson.

William “The Refrigerator” Perry. Cultural icon.

The Fridge also owns the largest Super Bowl ring of any professional football player ever to earn one — a ring size of 25.

As always,

Brian