Former Chicago bears QB has passed away at 70 years old.
Bob Avellini, the former Chicago Bears quarterback who helped the team make the playoffs in 1977, has died. He was seventy years old. Avellini was selected in the sixth round of the 1975 NFL Draft, which also included Walter Payton. The Queens, New York native who played college ball at Maryland became the team’s permanent starter at the start of the 1976 season after playing a few games at the end of his rookie year.
However, 1977 proved to be Avellini’s most memorable year. The Bears made the playoffs that year, with quarterback Walter Payton winning MVP. That season, he threw for 2,004 yards, which was the most he had ever thrown for in a single year. Unfortunately, that year’s playoff game was a nightmare, with the Bears losing to the Dallas Cowboys 37-7. Avellini started again in 1978, but after a bad start (4-8 record), he was replaced by Mike Phipps under center. Avellini remained with the squad for several years, making three more starts between 1978 and 1984.
After Jim McMahon was injured early in the 1984 season, Avellini was pushed back into the starting lineup to get some meaningful playing time. McMahon left the Week 3 game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, and Avellini took over for the majority of the game. The offensive performance was awful. Avellini passed for 133 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. Payton still managed to get over 100 yards (because that’s what Payton does). The Bears managed to win 9-7, but that kind of margin would not enough in the future.
The next week (September 23, 1984), Avellini made his final start for the Eagles in a 38-9 loss against the Seattle Seahawks. The quarterback and Bears coach, Mike Ditka, were well-known feuding partners, and things heated up throughout this game. Avellini threw a pick six after apparently changing the play call. In the fourth quarter, Ditka withdrew Avellini and replaced him with Rusty Lisch at quarterback. Avellini’s game numbers were 119 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Ditka later stated that if McMahon remained absent, he would prefer start Lisch or fourth-string quarterback Steve Fuller than return Avellini to the lineup. Avellini was then removed from the team.
Avellini was signed by the New York Jets after being released by the Bears, however he did not play for the Jets. He was released by the Jets prior to the 1985 season. He briefly made a comeback with the Dallas Cowboys in 1986, appearing in three preseason games before being released just before the regular season began. Avellini’s career statistics with Chicago include 7,111 passing yards (ninth most in team history), 33 touchdown passes, and 69 interceptions (fifth most). According to the Chicago Tribune, Avellini had been fighting cancer for some years.