William Perry couldn’t recall the last time he had visited Soldier Field. But quite frankly, as he soaked in the environment Sunday during the Bears’ 24-20 loss to the Lions, Perry was still just embracing the energy of his unexpected visit to Chicago.
As a gift for Perry’s 53rd birthday on Dec. 16, several relatives and members of his management team arranged a surprise trip and a return to the field where he once played. Perry didn’t learn he’d be attending the Bears game until New Year’s Day.
“It’s wonderful coming back,” he said.
During the second quarter, a sideline interview with Perry was broadcast on the video boards. A rousing ovation ensued from a crowd thrilled to see one of the most beloved characters from the 1985 Bears.
An hour later, in a luxury box, Perry expressed his gratitude.
“Hearing it from the crowd and everybody was great; ‘We still love you Fridge’ and everything,” he said. “For me, that was wonderful.”
Among the visitors who popped in to reunite with Perry on Sunday were former teammate Otis Wilson and team executive Brian McCaskey. McCaskey gave Perry a memento from the team archives, a white No. 72 jersey Perry had once worn.
“He’s been wanting to come back here,” Perry’s brother, Willie, said. “To finally make that happen has been wonderful. He’s ecstatic.”
The 30th anniversary of the Bears’ Super Bowl XX triumph arrives Jan. 26. And Perry still takes great satisfaction in all he was a part of with that team. Yes, he said, he easily remembers his 1-yard touchdown run in the Super Bowl, a final exclamation point to an unforgettable rookie season in which he scored four times on offense, recorded five regular-season sacks and earned a verse in “The Super Bowl Shuffle.”
“The memories are there,” Perry said. “Just like yesterday. … We won a Super Bowl and we had fun doing it. So it’s great to see some of those guys and chit-chat a little bit and have a good laugh.”
A proud Clemson alumnus, Perry also expressed pride in a Tigers team that will play Alabama for the national championship Jan. 11. Perry’s management team said they’re still seeking help in exploring ways to get the Fridge to that game in Glendale, Ariz.
“I hope they can go ahead and pull that out and be No. 1 again,” Perry said of the Tigers. “They have to go out, put it all together and lay it on the line. They do what they’re supposed to and they’ll be national champions again.”
On Sunday however, Perry’s enjoyment came on his nostalgic return to Soldier Field.
