Former Bears QB Bob Avellini Dies at Age 70

Bob Avellini, who threw one of the most famous passes in Bears history, has died at the age of 70 of cancer.

Avellini's famous pass was a 37-yard touchdown throw to tight end Greg Latta with three seconds left to end a wild game and beat Kansas City in 1977. From that point on a 3-5 Bears team won its final six ames to finish 9-5 and in the playoffs for the first time in 14 years.

The Bears lost in the playoffs to Dallas 37-7 in the first round. Avellini was replaced by Mike Phipps when the team made a run to the 1979 playoffs.

A former Maryland quarterback, Avellini was a sixth-round draft choice by GM Jim Finks in the same 1975 draft that produced Walter Payton.

Avellini and ranks among the franchise's top 10 passer in terms of yardage, in ninth with 7,111 yards.

During that 1977 run to the playoffs, Avellini threw 11 touchdown passes and had a career-high 2,004 yards with 18 interceptions.

The Bears won 23 of the 50 games Avellini started in a career that ended when Mike Ditka was coach in 1984. He retired in 1986 after a short time with the New York Jets.

"In the long-range picture for the Bears, the quarterbacks we have here now are better than Bob," Mike Ditka said upon Avellini's departure.

Avellini was the last Bears player to wear jersey number 7 before it was retired in honor of the first one to wear it, team founder George Halas.