Richard Dent
The ferocious pass-rushing defensive end whose relentless pressure was the engine of the Chicago Bears' legendary 1985 defense.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American football player and coach·Birthday: December 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Richard Dent emerged from Tennessee State as a raw, lanky prospect who would become the most feared pass rusher of his era. Drafted in the eighth round by the Chicago Bears, he was molded by coordinator Buddy Ryan into the centerpiece of the '46 Defense,' a unit that terrorized the NFL in 1985. With a devastating first step and a signature strip-sack move, Dent led the league in sacks that season. His dominance culminated in Super Bowl XX, where he harassed New England Patriots quarterback Tony Eason relentlessly, recording 1.5 sacks and forcing two fumbles to earn MVP honors. Though his career included stops with other teams, his legacy is forever tied to Chicago, where his quiet off-field demeanor contrasted with the violent elegance of his play.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Richard was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Richard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Richard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XX after recording 1.5 sacks and forcing two fumbles against the New England Patriots.
- Recorded a league-leading 17.0 sacks during the Chicago Bears' 1985 championship season.
- Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011, his first year of eligibility.
- Finished his career with 137.5 official sacks, ranking among the all-time leaders at his retirement.
Did You Know?
He was a wide receiver and tight end in high school before switching to defensive end in college.
He was part of the famed 'Bears Shuffle' music video released during the 1985 season.
He owns a Super Bowl ring from the San Francisco 49ers' 1994 season, though he was on injured reserve for the big game.
His son, Richard Dent Jr., played basketball for the University of Tennessee.
“I just wanted to get to the quarterback, and I found a way to get there.”
