The 1985 Chicago-Miami game was the highest-rated Monday Night Football telecast in history. The burning question of the evening was whether or not that year’s Dolphins could topple the Windy City juggernaut that appeared on track to join the 1972 Dolphins with a perfect record. But there was also a subplot involving Payton that caught Chicago coach Mike Ditka unawares.
With 100 yards rushing Payton would break a record for most consecutive games reaching the century yardage mark, but Ditka was oblivious to this possibility. Chicago quarterback Jim McMahon, however, was tuned in and when Ditka called a pass play in the fourth quarter, with Chicago trailing by two touchdowns, McMahon ignored his instructions. The Dolphins won, 38-24, but Payton got the record.
