Jim McMahon came extremely close to losing his foot

«When these doctors finally told me what was wrong, they said the reason you feel better when you lay down is because gravity is off your head enough so that the spinal fluid can flow a little bit easier when you're laying down,» he said.

«It's not a good feeling when your brain starts messing with you,» McMahon said. «You don't know what to do.»

Bone spur surgery in November left him with lingering complications, including an infection so gnarly that doctors approached him about amputation. On this day, the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback can barely walk

still, the Chicago bears icon will tee it up at the American century championship that runs Friday through Sunday. Of course, he will. And in doing so, McMahon and actor/singer Jack Wagner will remain the only two players to compete in this tournament every year since its inception 33 years ago

«if I gotta crawl down the fairway, I'm not missing this event,'' McMahon said. «I have too much fun. Met a lot of great people up here. Get to take a lot of great boat rides when I'm done. We go over and go bar-hopping across the lake, have a good time.»