1980 Chicago Bears season

The 1980 season was the Chicago Bears' 61st in the National Football League, and their third under head coach Neill Armstrong. The team failed to improve from their 10–6 record from 1979 to finish at 7–9, and failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1978.

1980 Chicago Bears season
Head coach	Neill Armstrong
General manager	Jim Finks
Owner	George Halas
Home field	Soldier Field
Results
Record	7–9
Division place	3rd NFC Central
Playoff finish	Did not qualify

One of the seven victories by the Bears that year was a Thanksgiving game against the Detroit Lions. With no time left in regulation, Bears quarterback Vince Evans scored a game-tying touchdown that sent the game into overtime. Then, before a national television audience, Dave Williams returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown on the first play of overtime and a 23–17 victory in overtime over the Lions.

Walter Payton once again led the NFC in rushing for the fifth straight year with 1,460 yards.

NFL Draft

Main article: 1980 NFL Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	School/Club Team

Roster

1980 Chicago Bears final roster

	Quarterbacks  7 Bob Avellini  8 Vince Evans 15 Mike Phipps Running backs 35 Roland Harper 37 Willie McClendon 34 Walter Payton 30 John Skibinski 26 Matt Suhey FB 22 Dave Williams FB Wide receivers 84 Brian Baschnagel 83 Kris Haines 89 James Scott 80 Rickey Watts Tight ends 87 Mike Cobb 81 Robin Earl 85 Bob Fisher		Offensive linemen 64 Ted Albrecht T 65 Noah Jackson G 62 Dan Jiggetts T 70 Dennis Lick T 71 Rocco Moore T 52 Dan Neal C 69 Revie Sorey G 53 Paul Tabor G Defensive linemen 99 Dan Hampton DE 90 Al Harris DE 73 Mike Hartenstine DE 68 Jim Osborne DT 82 Alan Page DT 76 Ron Rydalch DT 72 Brad Shearer DT		Linebackers 59 Gary Campbell 51 Bruce Herron 54 Tom Hicks 57 Lee Kunz 58 Jerry Muckensturm 55 Otis Wilson Defensive backs 49 Dave Becker 48 Allan Ellis CB 45 Gary Fencik FS 36 Wentford Gaines 47 Jonathan Hoke 29 Vaughn Lusby 46 Doug Plank FS 44 Terry Schmidt CB 43 Mike Ulmer 23 Len Walterscheid Special teams 86 Bob Parsons P 16 Robert R. Thomas K		Reserve lists 88 Greg Latta TE (IR) Practice squad Rookies in italics active, inactive, practice squad

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 7, 1980	at Green Bay Packers	L 12–6	54,381
2	September 14, 1980	New Orleans Saints	W 22–3	62,523
3	September 21, 1980	Minnesota Vikings	L 34–14	59,983
4	September 28, 1980	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 38–3	53,987
5	October 6, 1980	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 23–0	61,350
6	October 12, 1980	at Minnesota Vikings	L 13–7	46,751
7	October 19, 1980	Detroit Lions	W 24–7	58,508
8	October 26, 1980	at Philadelphia Eagles	L 17–14	68,752
9	November 3, 1980	at Cleveland Browns	L 27–21	84,225
10	November 9, 1980	Washington Redskins	W 35–21	57,159
11	November 16, 1980	Houston Oilers	L 10–6	59,390
12	November 23, 1980	at Atlanta Falcons	L 28–17	49,156
13	November 27, 1980	at Detroit Lions	W 23–17	75,397
14	December 7, 1980	Green Bay Packers	W 61–7	57,176
15	December 14, 1980	Cincinnati Bengals	L 17–14	48,808
16	December 20, 1980	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 14–13	55,298

Season summary

Week 1: at Green Bay Packers

Week 1: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Bears	3	0	3	0	0	6
Packers	0	6	0	0	6	12

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

• Date: September 7, 1980
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Overcast, 65 °F (18 °C)
• TV announcers (CBS): Lindsey Nelson and Sonny Jurgensen

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers CHI – Mike Phipps – 17/30, 174 yards, 3 INT GB – Lynn Dickey – 10/22, 138 yards, 1 INT Top rushers CHI – Walter Payton – 31 rushes, 65 yards GB – Eddie Lee Ivery – 15 rushes, 73 yards Top receivers CHI – James Scott – 5 receptions, 59 yards GB – James Lofton – 5 receptions, 77 yards

Week 2

1 2 3 4 Total Saints 3 0 0 0 3 • Bears 10 3 2 7 22 Date: September 14 Location: Soldier Field Referee: Bob McElwee TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Johnny Morris

Week 3

1 2 3 4 Total • Vikings 14 7 7 6 34 Bears 0 0 0 14 14 Date: September 21 Location: Soldier Field

Week 4

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 3 0 0 0 3 • Steelers 7 17 7 7 38 Date: September 28 Location: Three Rivers Stadium

Week 5

1 2 3 4 Total Buccaneers 0 0 0 0 0 • Bears 0 3 10 10 23 Date: October 6 Location: Soldier Field Referee: Ben Dreith Television network: ABC

Week 6

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 0 0 7 0 7 • Vikings 3 0 3 7 13 Date: October 12 Location: Metropolitan Stadium Referee: Jerry Markbreit TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Johnny Morris

Week 7

1 2 3 4 Total Lions 0 0 0 7 7 • Bears 7 3 7 7 24 Date: October 19 Location: Soldier Field Referee: Gordon McCarter TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Johnny Morris

Week 8

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 0 0 14 0 14 • Eagles 7 0 7 3 17 Date: October 26 Location: Veterans Stadium

Week 9

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 0 0 7 14 21 • Browns 3 7 3 14 27 Date: November 3 Location: Cleveland Stadium Referee: Dick Jorgensen Television network: ABC

Week 10

1 2 3 4 Total Redskins 0 0 14 7 21 • Bears 21 14 0 0 35 Date: November 9 Location: Soldier Field

Week 11

1 2 3 4 Total • Oilers 0 7 3 0 10 Bears 0 6 0 0 6 Date: November 16 Location: Soldier Field Referee: Bob Fredric Television network: NBC

Week 12

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 7 3 7 0 17 • Falcons 0 14 0 14 28 Date: November 23 Location: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Week 13

Week Thirteen: Chicago Bears (4–8) at Detroit Lions (7–5)

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Bears	0	3	0	14	6	23
Lions	3	7	7	0	0	17

at Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan

• Date: November 27, 1980
• Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
• Game weather: Indoors (dome)
• Game attendance: 75,397
• Referee: Fred Silva
• TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall, Tom Brookshier, and Irv Cross
• Pro-Football-Reference.com

Game information

First quarter DET – Eddie Murray 34-yard field goal. Lions 3–0. Drive: Second quarter DET – Billy Sims 47-yard pass from Gary Danielson (Eddie Murray kick). Lions 10–0. Drive: CHI – Bob Thomas 24-yard field goal. Lions 10–3. Drive: Third quarter DET – Gary Danielson 1-yard run (Eddie Murray kick). Lions 17–3. Drive: Fourth quarter CHI – Bob Fisher 20-yard pass from Vince Evans (Bob Thomas kick). Lions 17–10. Drive: CHI – Vince Evans 4-yard run (Bob Thomas kick), 0:00. Tie 17–17. Drive: 14 plays, 94 yards. Overtime CHI – Dave Williams 94-yard kickoff return. Bears 23–17. Top passers CHI – Vince Evans – 11/22, 167 yards, TD DET – Gary Danielson – 9/21, 156 yards, TD Top rushers CHI – Walter Payton – 18 rushes, 123 yards DET – Billy Sims – 19 rushes, 72 yards Top receivers CHI – James Scott – 6 receptions, 106 yards DET – Ray Williams – 3 receptions, 50 yards

Week 14

1 2 3 4 Total Packers 0 7 0 0 7 • Bears 0 28 13 20 61 Date: December 7 Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game weather: 56°F, wind 10 mph Referee: Chuck Heberling TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Johnny Morris

Scoring summary 2 CHI Walter Payton 1 yard run (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 7–0 2 CHI Walter Payton 3 yard run (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 14–0 2 CHI Roland Harper 1 yard run (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 21–0 2 GB James Lofton 15 yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Jan Stenerud kick) Bears 21–7 2 CHI Brian Baschnagel 4 yard pass from Vince Evans (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 28–7 3 CHI Robin Earl 9 yard pass from Vince Evans (kick failed) Bears 34–7 3 CHI Rickey Watts 53 yard pass from Vince Evans (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 41–7 4 CHI Walter Payton 14 yard run (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 48–7 4 CHI Len Walterscheid 36 yard interception return (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 55–7 4 CHI Willie McClendon 1 yard run (kick failed) Bears 61–7

[1]

Week 15

1 2 3 4 OT Total • Bengals 7 7 0 0 3 17 Bears 0 7 0 7 0 14 Date: December 14 Location: Soldier Field

Week 16

1 2 3 4 Total • Bears 0 7 7 0 14 Buccaneers 10 0 0 3 13 Date: December 21 Location: Tampa Stadium

Standings

NFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Minnesota Vikings^(3)	9	7	0	.563	5–3	8–4	317	308	L1
Detroit Lions	9	7	0	.563	5–3	9–5	334	272	W2
Chicago Bears	7	9	0	.438	5–3	7–5	304	264	W1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	5	10	1	.344	1–6–1	4–7–1	271	341	L3
Green Bay Packers	5	10	1	.344	3–4–1	4–7–1	231	371	L4

References

1. Pro-Football-Reference.com