Da Bears and ‘Super Bowl Shuffle’: HBO doc revisits ‘perfect storm’ that became a phenomenon

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The Chicago Bears didn’t want to seem cocky.

They didn’t want to jinx themselves.

The team didn’t want to give their rivals any extra motivation during their push for a Super Bowl victory in their hometown after the 1985 season.

The Chicago Bears, famously known as the Shufflin’ Crew, captured the spirit of the 1980s with a surprisingly popular song and video. As the players sang in “The Super Bowl Shuffle,” they weren’t looking for conflict – they were simply there to win the Super Bowl.

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Around four decades ago, just weeks before the end of the regular NFL season, the 30 players who recorded “The Super Bowl Shuffle” were thinking about all of this. These thoughts were on their minds as they created the song.

In an NFL Films documentary presented by HBO, former Bears linebacker and Hall of Famer Mike Singletary stated with intense conviction, “If we don’t win the Super Bowl, it will be a huge mistake.” He emphasized the team’s need to succeed, adding, “We have to win this!”

Singletary is among those sharing stories and memories in a new 40-minute documentary about “The Shuffle,” a song and dance that’s become a fan favorite. The documentary premieres Tuesday at 9 p.m. PST on HBO and HBO Max. Director Jeff Cameron explained to The Times that the timing of the release – during the 40th anniversary of the Bears’ Super Bowl win – was intentional.

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Cameron explained that before now, no one had fully documented the complete story of how ‘The Super Bowl Shuffle’ was created and produced, especially considering how closely it’s tied to the 1985 Chicago Bears team.

The idea for the song came from Dick Meyer, a businessman from Chicago who had recently started Red Label Records. Seeing the Chicago Bears have a great start to the 1985 season, Meyer believed a hip-hop song with popular players could be a hit in the city.

Players were happy to join in once they found out some of the money raised would be donated to the Chicago Community Trust. As running back Walter Payton explained in his rap, the team wasn’t motivated by profit, but by a desire to help those in need.

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As a huge Bears fan, I always loved watching players like Singletary, Gary Fencik, and Willie Gault out on the field. And who could forget guys like Otis Wilson, Steve Fuller, Mike Richardson, the incredible Richard Dent, and of course, ‘Refrigerator’ Perry and Jim McMahon? They were all such key parts of that team!

The vocals were recorded on November 21, 1985, when the Chicago Bears were having an incredible season. They were undefeated with an 11-0 record, fresh off a dominant 44-0 win against the Dallas Cowboys. The following week, they continued their winning streak with a 36-0 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

The Bears’ undefeated streak ended on December 2, 1985, with a disappointing 38-24 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. Ironically, the team was scheduled to film the music video for “The Super Bowl Shuffle” in Chicago the very next morning.

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Suddenly, Gault said in the documentary, “Guys don’t want to do the video.”

I was really disappointed to learn that Payton and McMahon weren’t actually there with the rest of the team when we were shooting! It turned out they filmed their parts a day later, after practice, and then the team edited them into the video. It wasn’t ideal, but we made it work!

Watching the documentary, I was struck by what Jim McMahon said after their loss. He admitted it felt pretty bold, even presumptuous, to be openly talking about making it to—and winning—the Super Bowl, especially right after a defeat. It really highlighted the pressure they were under and the fine line between confidence and overconfidence.

But the video shoot may have had unexpected benefits for the players who participated.

Cameron explained to The Times that without ‘The Shuffle,’ the team likely wouldn’t have connected that day. Usually, with Tuesdays off after Monday night’s game, they’d go straight back to reviewing film or practicing. He said ‘The Shuffle’ allowed them a chance to step away from the previous loss, relax, and simply enjoy each other’s company as teammates and friends.

Footage shared with James Cameron’s team by the late Julia Meyer showed the actors having fun while learning the dance routines and practicing lip-syncing, with mixed results. They were laughing and joking as they tried to get the moves right.

Singletary explained in the documentary that the experience created a unique and powerful connection within the team. Working outside of their usual roles allowed for unexpected mentorship, with players normally on the bench guiding those who usually started. This mixing of experience fostered a strong sense of unity and helped everyone refocus on their goals. It reminded them of their initial commitment and motivated them to succeed together.

After a perfect season, the Bears dominated the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. Their team song, “The Super Bowl Shuffle,” also became incredibly popular, reaching fans far beyond Chicago.

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The song spent nine weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching a high of number 41, and sold enough copies to be certified Gold by the RIAA (500,000 units). The music video, originally released on VHS and Betamax, was even more popular, earning a Platinum certification (one million copies sold).

The song received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group, but Prince and The Revolution’s “Kiss” ultimately won the award.

Cameron believes the team’s success came from a great combination of players and consistent wins – except for the Miami game. He feels this, combined with MTV’s growing popularity, created the ideal conditions for a major cultural moment. It was a ‘perfect storm’ that really made the video take off.

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2025-11-25 23:02