Jim McMahon Career NFL Stats and Performance Records
Jim McMahon played quarterback in the NFL from 1982 to 1996, appearing in 134 regular season games and starting 77 of them. He completed 1,313 of 2,277 passes for 16,289 yards, 84 touchdowns, and 67 interceptions, with a career passer rating of 72.6 and a 60.1 completion percentage. McMahon also rushed for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns over his career, with his best statistical season coming in 1985 when he threw 23 touchdown passes and posted a 91.8 passer rating for the Chicago Bears, who won Super Bowl XX that year. McMahon also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, and Green Bay Packers, accumulating 1,255 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground while starting 13 playoff games across his career. His 1985 Bears playoff run included a 20–0 shutout of the Los Angeles Rams and a 24–14 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX, where McMahon completed 9 of 16 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 18 yards. For more detailed career game logs and advanced passer metrics, see the Pro Football Reference archive on McMahonJim McMahon career page.
McMahon's regular season stats show a peak in 1985 with 3,256 passing yards and a 91.8 passer rating, followed by 2,132 yards and a 64.9 rating in 1986, and 1,630 yards with a 73.1 rating in 1987. His career 84 touchdown passes rank him among the top 50 quarterbacks in NFL history by that metric at the time of his retirement, while his 67 interceptions reflect the high-risk, high-reward style of play common in the 1980s NFL. McMahon's 1,139 career rushing yards place him in the top 10 among NFL quarterbacks for rushing touchdowns, with his longest run of 48 yards coming in 1985. His playoff passer rating of 78.3 across 13 starts compares favorably to the league average of the era, and his 4 career playoff touchdown passes against 2 interceptions show a positive turnover differential in postseason play. McMahon's 1985 season is often cited in discussions of the greatest single-season performances by Bears quarterbacks, and his stats are frequently referenced alongside those of Sid Luckman and George Blanda in franchise record books. For additional context on McMahon's career within the broader NFL quarterback landscape, see the Sports Reference NFL statistical overviewJim McMahon player page.
Jim McMahon Earnings, Contracts, and NFL Salary History
Jim McMahon's NFL earnings were shaped by the pre-salary-cap era, with his most lucrative contract coming in 1986 when the Chicago Bears signed him to a multi-year deal reported to be worth approximately $2 million over three years, a substantial sum at the time for a quarterback coming off a Super Bowl championship. McMahon's base salary in 1985 was estimated at $350,000, rising to around $500,000 in 1986, and he earned approximately $1.1 million in total compensation during his peak Bears years from 1982 to 1988, including roster bonuses and playoff incentives. After leaving Chicago, McMahon's earnings fluctuated with his roster status