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 | |
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Owner | George Halas |
General manager | Jim Finks |
Head coach | Neill Armstrong |
Home field | Soldier Field |
Results | |
Record | 7–9 |
Division place | 3rd NFC Central |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
One of the victories was on Thanksgiving at Detroit; Chicago entered the Thursday game at 4–8, last place in the NFC Central division, and were trailing 17–3 after three quarters. 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 on CBS, Dave Williams returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown on the first play of overtime for a 23–17 victory over the stunned Lions.[1][2]
Running back Walter Payton once again led the NFC in rushing for the fifth straight year with 1,460 yards; he also had the league's highest annual salary at $475,000.[3]
Offseason
Draft
1980 Chicago Bears draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 19 | Otis Wilson * | Linebacker | Louisville | |
2 | 46 | Matt Suhey | Running back | Penn State | |
4 | 103 | Arland Thompson | Guard | Baylor | |
5 | 130 | Paul Tabor | Center | Oklahoma | |
6 | 156 | Mike Guess | Defensive back | Ohio State | |
7 | 183 | Emanuel Tolbert | Wide receiver | SMU | |
8 | 215 | Randy Clark | Center | Northern Illinois | |
9 | 242 | Turk Schonert | Quarterback | Stanford | |
10 | 269 | Willie Stephens | Defensive back | Texas Tech | |
11 | 296 | Chris Judge | Defensive back | TCU | |
12 | 323 | Bob Fisher | Tight end | SMU | |
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
- Source:[4]
Undrafted free agents
Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|
Chuck Mate | Kicker | Notre Dame |
Roster
Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 7 | at Green Bay Packers | L 6–12 (OT) | 0–1 | Lambeau Field | 54,381 | |
2 | September 14 | New Orleans Saints | W 22–3 | 1–1 | Soldier Field | 62,523 | |
3 | September 21 | Minnesota Vikings | L 14–34 | 1–2 | Soldier Field | 59,983 | |
4 | September 28 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | L 3–38 | 1–3 | Three Rivers Stadium | 53,987 | |
5 | October 6 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 23–0 | 2–3 | Soldier Field | 61,350 | |
6 | October 12 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 7–13 | 2–4 | Metropolitan Stadium | 46,751 | |
7 | October 19 | Detroit Lions | W 24–7 | 3–4 | Soldier Field | 58,508 | |
8 | October 26 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 14–17 | 3–5 | Veterans Stadium | 68,752 | |
9 | November 3 | at Cleveland Browns | L 21–27 | 3–6 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | 84,225 | |
10 | November 9 | Washington Redskins | W 35–21 | 4–6 | Soldier Field | 57,159 | |
11 | November 16 | Houston Oilers | L 6–10 | 4–7 | Soldier Field | 59,390 | |
12 | November 23 | at Atlanta Falcons | L 17–28 | 4–8 | Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium | 49,156 | |
13 | November 27 | at Detroit Lions | W 23–17 (OT) | 5–8 | Pontiac Silverdome | 75,397 | |
14 | December 7 | Green Bay Packers | W 61–7 | 6–8 | Soldier Field | 57,176 | |
15 | December 14 | Cincinnati Bengals | L 14–17 (OT) | 6–9 | Soldier Field | 48,808 | |
16 | December 20 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 14–13 | 7–9 | Tampa Stadium | 55,298 | |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |
Season summary
Week 1: at Green Bay Packers
Period | 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)
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (CBS): Lindsey Nelson and Sonny Jurgensen
Game information | ||
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Week 2
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Week 3
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Week 4
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Week 5
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Week 6
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Week 7
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Week 8
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Week 9
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Week 10
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Week 11
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Week 12
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Week 13
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
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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 | ||
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Week 14
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Week 15
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Week 16
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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
- "Bears make it a short overtime, 23-17". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. November 28, 1980. p. 5C.
- Atkins, Harry (November 28, 1980). "Williams' return stuns Lions, 23-17". Schenectady Gazette. (New York). Associated Press. p. 34.
- "Payton tops salary list of NFL players". Schenectady Gazette. (New York). Associated Press. February 13, 1981. p. 29.
- "1980 Chicago Bears Draftees". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
