Four decades after it first soundtracked one of the most dominant seasons in NFL history, the Super Bowl Shuffle is getting a full-circle moment.
According to The Los Angeles Times, a new HBO documentary, The Shuffle, premiered on Tuesday, November 25, on HBO and HBO Max, revisiting how a Chicago Bears novelty rap turned into a charting hit, a cultural artifact, and an unlikely chapter in sports-and-music crossover history.
Released in December 1985, “The Super Bowl Shuffle” arrived before the Bears had actually won anything. Credited to the Chicago Bears Shufflin’ Crew, the track featured players delivering memorized verses over a hip-hop beat recorded during the team’s historic 1985 run.
At the time, the Bears were steamrolling through opponents, but the idea of NFL players cutting a rap record before the season ended was far from a sure thing.
According to The Shuffle, the song’s creation was closely tied to timing—and tension. The vocal tracks were recorded while Chicago sat at 11–0, fresh off shutout wins over the Cowboys and Falcons.
But the video shoot was scheduled for the morning after the Bears’ only regular-season loss, a nationally televised 38–24 defeat to the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. That loss changed the mood.
Running back Walter Payton and quarterback Jim McMahon chose not to attend the initial shoot, believing it was premature given the setback. Their segments were later filmed separately at the team’s practice facility and edited into the final cut.
In the documentary, McMahon reflects on that moment, saying it felt “audacious” to celebrate a Super Bowl before the goal was secured.
Despite the hesitation, the song quickly took on a life of its own. “The Super Bowl Shuffle” peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent nine weeks on the chart, driven primarily by sales rather than radio rotation.
The accompanying video, filmed at the Chicago nightclub Park West, circulated widely and eventually went platinum after selling more than 1 million copies on VHS and Betamax. The single itself was certified gold, moving over 500,000 units.
The documentary also revisits the unexpected recognition the track received. At the 1987 Grammy Awards, “The Super Bowl Shuffle” earned a nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, ultimately losing to Prince and the Revolution’s “Kiss.”
The nomination made the Bears the only professional sports team to earn both a Grammy nod and a Billboard Hot 100 hit.
Beyond its novelty, the project carried a charitable component. More than $300,000 in proceeds were donated to the Chicago Community Trust to support families in need, a mission directly referenced in Payton’s verse: “The Bears are doin’ it to feed the needy.”
That charitable intent later became central to legal disputes over how the song’s revenue should continue to be distributed.
The Shuffle positions the recording session as more than a pop side quest. Interviews and archival footage show players laughing, practicing choreography, and interacting in ways they typically wouldn’t during a grind-heavy season.
In the documentary, linebacker Mike Singletary describes the experience as a rare bonding moment that helped reset the team after its loss in Miami.
What followed is well-documented history. "Da Bears" finished the season 15–1, dominated through the playoffs, and defeated the New England Patriots 46–10 in Super Bowl XX.