Jim McMahon, the most famous Bears quarterback, thinks the pressure lies on other positions in Chicago.
“This town’s always been, ‘Who’s your running back? Who’s your middle linebacker?’” he told the Sun-Times on Tuesday. “The quarterback’s insignificant here.
“You’re only gonna be as good as your people up front. … I was fortunate when I was here that I had a damn good group of my guys my last five years I was here. The first two were a little sketchy.”
McMahon is in the state touring marijuana dispensaries now that his Revenant Holdings’ MAC 9 cannabis brand has launched in Illinois. He expects his product to land at 40 dispensaries.
McMahon started Revenant with two former NFL offensive linemen — Kyle Turley and former Bear Eben Britton — to offer athletes, and others, an alternative to opioids for pain relief.
McMahon, who lived in the Chicago area for 28 years but now resides in Arizona, was happy to be back, even as he cursed the rainy weather Tuesday.
“This town is a Bears town,” said McMahon, who quarterbacked the Bears from 1982-88, winning the Super Bowl after the 1985 season. “When the Bulls won six championships in the 90s, which is great. But I think fans would much rather see the Chicago Bears win again than anybody else.”
McMahon doesn’t watch much of the NFL — his interests are golf and the occasional playoff baseball game — though he knows the Bears are 0-2.
He took interest when told the Bears are playing in Kansas City this weekend. He and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who ranks fifth in NFL history in wins, played together at BYU from 1978-80. McMahon said Reid, an offensive lineman, was a “studious guy.”
When McMahon played for the rival Packers from 1995-96, Reid was their assistant offensive line and tight ends coach.
“He’s done a great job,” McMahon said. “You gotta love an ex-offensive lineman that likes to throw the ball.”
He bristled when asked who he’d cheer for Sunday.
“I’m not a fan,” McMahon said. “I don’t root.”
