(Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire)
The Chicago Bears have a long, storied history that began in 1920 and features many legends of the game who have suited up and left incredible legacies behind.
For a historic franchise such as the Bears, it’s always tough to see legends of the past grow old, and unfortunately, the Bears family lost one of its own.
Former Bears quarterback Bob Avellini passed away at the age of 70 after a battle with cancer, which has been confirmed by a team official.
Bob Avellini, who quarterbacked the Chicago Bears through some of the greatest seasons of Walter Payton’s career and helped the team make the playoffs in 1977, has died. He was 70.https://t.co/41iLzpojq7
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) May 5, 2024
Avellini was a sixth-round pick in 1975 and is most known for leading this team through some of the greatest seasons of Walter Payton’s career and guiding the team to the playoffs in 1977.
He remained with the Bears until the 1984 season largely as a backup before eventually being cut, and he infamously took shots at head coach Mike Ditka on his way out of town.
“I wasn’t surprised I was cut,” he said.
“(Ditka) threatened me with that once a week. He thinks that’s going to make you play better. After the first pass I threw this year against Green Bay, he said he was going to cut me then, and I was the only quarterback who could play. He wanted to yank me out of there and put in someone that didn’t even know our snap count.”
Avellini wound up retiring in 1986, and be most fondly remembered for his time with Walter Payton, despite his Bears tenure ending unceremoniously due to his feud with Ditka.
Our best goes out to Bears fans and the organization.
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