William Perry (American football)
The 300-pound 'Refrigerator' who became a cultural phenomenon, rumbling for touchdowns and defining the swagger of the 1985 Bears.
Born 1962 (age 64)·American football player·Birthday: December 16·Baby Boomers
Biography
William Perry was drafted as a defensive lineman, but he became a national celebrity as something far rarer: a 300-pound offensive weapon. Nicknamed 'the Refrigerator' for his massive size, he was a key, if unconventional, part of the Chicago Bears' 1985 championship season. Coach Mike Ditka used him as a fullback in goal-line situations, and Perry's joyful, rumbling touchdowns—most famously in Super Bowl XX—captured the country's imagination. He embodied the Bears' overwhelming, playful dominance. While his defensive contributions were solid, his true legacy is as a pop culture icon of the 1980s. He appeared on talk shows, in commercials, and even had a wrestling match, transforming from a football player into a symbol of sheer, delightful force. His career reminds us that sports heroes can be forged not just from stats, but from unforgettable moments of pure spectacle.
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.
William was born in 1962, 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 William Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
William's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
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
1980Could vote
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 60
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 64 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won Super Bowl XX as a member of the historic 1985 Chicago Bears team.
- Scored a touchdown as a fullback in Super Bowl XX, becoming one of the heaviest players ever to do so in a Super Bowl.
- Was named the ACC Player of the Year in 1984 during his college career at Clemson University.
- Selected in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'the Refrigerator', was coined by a teammate's wife who said he was as big as one.
He wrestled in WWF's WrestleMania 2 as part of a battle royal.
He released a novelty rap single called 'Super Bowl Shuffle' with the rest of the 1985 Bears.
He occasionally played on the offensive line in addition to his defensive tackle and fullback duties.
His younger brother, Michael Dean Perry, also had a successful NFL career.
“I just did my job, but they kept giving me the ball in the end zone.”
