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
OwnerGeorge Halas
General managerJim Finks
Head coachNeill Armstrong
Home fieldSoldier Field
Results
Record7–9
Division place3rd NFC Central
Playoff finishDid 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
Main article: 1980 NFL 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
1980 Undrafted Free Agents of note
Player Position College
Chuck Mate Kicker Notre Dame

Roster
1980 Chicago Bears final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists
  • 87 Mike Cobb TE (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
  • 88 Greg Latta TE (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
  • 24 Virgil Livers CB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
  • 29 Vaughn Lusby DB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)


Rookies in italics

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
Week 1: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
Period 1 2 34OTTotal
Bears 3 0 3006
Packers 0 6 00612

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 2
1 234Total
Saints 3 000 3
• Bears 10 327 22

Week 3
1 234Total
• Vikings 14 776 34
Bears 0 0014 14

Week 4
1 234Total
Bears 3 000 3
• Steelers 7 1777 38

Week 5
1 234Total
Buccaneers 0 000 0
• Bears 0 31010 23
  • Date: October 6
  • Location: Soldier Field
  • Referee: Ben Dreith
  • Television network: ABC

Week 6
1 234Total
Bears 0 070 7
• Vikings 3 037 13

Week 7
1 234Total
Lions 0 007 7
• Bears 7 377 24
  • Date: October 19
  • Location: Soldier Field
  • Referee: Gordon McCarter
  • TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Johnny Morris

Week 8
1 234Total
Bears 0 0140 14
• Eagles 7 073 17

Week 9
1 234Total
Bears 0 0714 21
• Browns 3 7314 27

Week 10
1 234Total
Redskins 0 0147 21
• Bears 21 1400 35
  • Date: November 9
  • Location: Soldier Field
  • TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully and George Allen

Week 11
1 234Total
• Oilers 0 730 10
Bears 0 600 6
  • Date: November 16
  • Location: Soldier Field
  • Referee: Bob Frederic
  • Television network: NBC

Week 12
1 234Total
Bears 7 370 17
• Falcons 0 14014 28

Week 13
Week Thirteen: Chicago Bears (4–8) at Detroit Lions (7–5)
Period 1 2 34OTTotal
Bears 0 3 014623
Lions 3 7 70017

at Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan

Game information

Week 14
1 234Total
Packers 0 700 7
• Bears 0 281320 61
Scoring summary
2CHIWalter Payton 1 yard run (Bob Thomas kick)Bears 7–0
2CHIWalter Payton 3 yard run (Bob Thomas kick)Bears 14–0
2CHIRoland Harper 1 yard run (Bob Thomas kick)Bears 21–0
2GBJames Lofton 15 yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Jan Stenerud kick)Bears 21–7
2CHIBrian Baschnagel 4 yard pass from Vince Evans (Bob Thomas kick)Bears 28–7
3CHIRobin Earl 9 yard pass from Vince Evans (kick failed)Bears 34–7
3CHIRickey Watts 53 yard pass from Vince Evans (Bob Thomas kick)Bears 41–7
4CHIWalter Payton 14 yard run (Bob Thomas kick)Bears 48–7
4CHILen Walterscheid 36 yard interception return (Bob Thomas kick)Bears 55–7
4CHIWillie McClendon 1 yard run (kick failed)Bears 61–7

[5]

Week 15
1 234OTTotal
• Bengals 7 7003 17
Bears 0 7070 14
  • Date: December 14
  • Location: Soldier Field

Week 16
1 234Total
• Bears 0 770 14
Buccaneers 10 003 13

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. "Bears make it a short overtime, 23-17". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. November 28, 1980. p. 5C.
  2. Atkins, Harry (November 28, 1980). "Williams' return stuns Lions, 23-17". Schenectady Gazette. (New York). Associated Press. p. 34.
  3. "Payton tops salary list of NFL players". Schenectady Gazette. (New York). Associated Press. February 13, 1981. p. 29.
  4. "1980 Chicago Bears Draftees". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  5. Pro-Football-Reference.com
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