SI

Bears Recreating 'Refrigerator' Perry Play Backfires in Crucial Moment vs. Commanders

Tom Dierberger

The Bears attempted to hand the ball off to offensive lineman Doug Kramer Jr. in the fourth quarter.
The Bears attempted to hand the ball off to offensive lineman Doug Kramer Jr. in the fourth quarter. / CBS
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The Chicago Bears were one yard away from taking the lead in the fourth quarter over the Washington Commanders on Sunday when disaster struck.

On third-and-goal from the Commanders' 1-yard line, Bears backup center Doug Kramer Jr. reported as eligible and lined up in the I-formation behind quarterback Caleb Williams. The rookie tried to hand it off to Kramer for a big man plunge, but it bounced off his chest and landed right into a pile of Commanders defenders.

A brutal turnover with the game on the line.

The play drew comparisons to the days of William "the Refrigerator" Perry, a 335-pound defensive lineman who scored two rushing touchdowns on similar plays during the Bears' magical 1985 season.

Chicago eventually took the lead in the fourth quarter on Roschon Johnson's 1-yard touchdown plunge, but the Bears lost in dramatic fashion as Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels found Noah Brown on a Hail Mary as time expired to steal an 18–15 win.

As Chicago falls to 4–3, coach Matt Eberflus likely will want the "Refrigerator" Perry play call back.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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