The teams that hired the best replacement players did themselves a favor in the end, a group of which the Bears were a part of. When the "real" 1987 resumed, Jim McMahon was back at QB, and the Bears pulled off their biggest come-from-behind win in history, beating Tampa 27–26 after trailing 20–0.
The teams that made shrewd hires for replacement players ultimately benefited from those decisions, as part of a collective group including the Bears. When the actual 1987 season resumed, Jim McMahon regained his starting role at quarterback, and the Bears staged their most impressive comeback win in history, overcoming a 20–0 deficit to defeat Tampa 27–26.