CHICAGO, Illinois — Bob Avellini, who along with Hall of Famer Walter Payton led the Chicago Bears to the playoffs in 1977 after a long postseason absence, died Sunday at꧃ the age of 70, reports say.
The Bears said Avellini died 💫while dea🐻ling with cancer.
“Bob was one-of-kind, a fierce and tough competitor,” the Bears . ”He’s perhaps best remembered for leading the Bears on an improbable run in 1977 to our first postseason appearance🅰 in 14 years. He will be missed.”
Avellini played nine seasons in the NFL, a♕ll with the Bears. He was selected in the sixth round of the 1975 NFL Draft after playing for college f💛ootball for Maryland.
His best season was in 1977, when he completeꦆd 154 of 293 pass attempts for 2,004 yards and 11 touchdowns with 18 interceptions. But thanks to Payton’s league-leading 1,852 yards and 14 touchdowns, it was good enough to get the team to the playoffs.
The highlight of Avellin൲i’s career came on Nov. 13, 1977, when he threw a game-winning 37-yard touchdown pass wit🍌h three seconds remaining to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs, .
Unfortunately for the Bears they met the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, losing, 37-7. Avellini was 15ꦿ-o✱f-25 for 177 yards with a touchdown pass and four interceptions.
The Bears released Avellini following the 1984 season. He threw for 7,111 yards with 33 touchdowns and 69 interceptions in 73 games during𒁏 his career.