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 astute hires for replacement players ultimately benefited from those decisions, as part of a group including the Bears. Upon resuming the actual 1987 season, Jim McMahon regained his starting position at quarterback, and the Bears executed their most remarkable comeback victory in history, overcoming a significant deficit to defeat Tampa 27–26.