CHICAGO, Illinois — Bob Avellini, wh🦹o 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 A༒vellini died while dealing with canc💜er.
“Bob was one-of-kind, a fie♑rce 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, all with the Bears. He was selected in the sixth round of the 1975 NFL Draft after playing for college footbಌall for Maryland.
His best 🐻season was in 1977, when he completed 154 of 293 pass attempts for 2,004 yards and 11 touchdowns with 18 interceptions. But thanks to Payton’s league-leading 1,8ꦦ52 yards and 14 touchdowns, it was good enough to get the team to the playoffs.
The highlight of Avellini’s career came on Nov. 13, 1977, when he threw a game-win🔜ning 37𝕴-yard touchdown pass with 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 15-of-25 for 177 yards with a touch🅷down pass and four interceptions.
The Bears released Avellini following the 1984 season. He threw for 7,111 yards wit🌠h 33 touchdowns and 69 inte𓂃rceptions in 73 games during his career.