1980 Chicago Bears season

1980 Chicago Bears season
Head Coach	Neill Armstrong
General Manager	Jim Finks
Home Field	Soldier Field
Results
Record	7–9
Place	3rd NFC Central
Playoff Finish	did not qualify
Timeline
Previous season	Next season
1979	1981

The 1980 Chicago Bears season was their 61st regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 7–9 record under second year coach Neill Armstrong and failed to make the playoffs.

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 roster
	Quarterbacks 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 80 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 23 Len Walterscheid Special teams 86 Bob Parsons P 16 Robert R. Thomas K		Reserve lists 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

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 OT Total Bears 3 0 3 0 0 6 • Packers 0 6 0 0 6 12 Date: September 7 Location: Lambeau Field

Week 2

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Saints 3 0 0 0 3 • Bears 10 3 2 7 22 Date: September 14 Location: Soldier Field

Week 3

by Quarter 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

by Quarter 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

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Buccaneers 0 0 0 0 0 • Bears 0 3 10 10 23 Date: October 6 Location: Soldier Field

Week 6

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Bears 0 0 7 0 7 • Vikings 3 0 3 7 13 Date: October 12 Location: Metropolitan Stadium

Week 7

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Lions 0 0 0 7 7 • Bears 7 3 7 7 24 Date: October 19 Location: Soldier Field

Week 8

by Quarter 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

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Bears 0 0 7 14 21 • Browns 3 7 3 14 27 Date: November 3 Location: Cleveland Stadium

Week 10

by Quarter 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

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total • Oilers 0 7 3 0 10 Bears 0 6 0 0 6 Date: November 16 Location: Soldier Field

Week 12

by Quarter 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

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 OT Total • Bears 0 3 0 14 6 23 Lions 3 7 7 0 0 17 Date: [[November 27]] Location: Pontiac Silverdome Game start: 12:30 p.m. CST Game weather: indoors (dome) Referee: Fred Silva Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com Scoring summary 1 Lions Eddie Murray 34-yard field goal Lions 3–0 2 Lions Billy Sims 47-yard pass from Gary Danielson (Eddie Murray kick) Lions 10–0 2 Bears Bob Thomas 24-yard field goal Lions 10–3 3 Lions Gary Danielson 1-yard run (Eddie Murray kick) Lions 17–3 4 Bears Bob Fisher 20-yard pass from Vince Evans (Bob Thomas kick) Lions 17–10 4 Bears Vince Evans 4-yard run (Bob Thomas kick) Tie 17–17 OT Bears Dave Williams 94-yard kickoff return Bears 23–17

Week 14

by Quarter 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 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

Week 15

by Quarter 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

by Quarter 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	PF	PA
Minnesota Vikings	9	7	0	.563	317	308
Detroit Lions	9	7	0	.563	334	272
Chicago Bears	7	9	0	.438	304	264
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	5	10	1	.344	271	341
Green Bay Packers	5	10	1	.344	231	371