You nailed this one so well. I remember that feud and it was not pretty, to say the least. It's amazing how you find these stories in the archives of NFL history. Great job--Perfect way to start my week. This is the best channel on NFL history on all of RU-vid, for sure.
This content is gold, my friend! I grew up watching the NFL in the 70's & 80's, & stuff like this (which is sadly missing in the sports universe today) makes me live it all over again. If you're taking requests, how about an episode on Don Strock, who was sitting on a beach when the Browns called him up in the late 80's when all of their qb's were hurt & went on to win a big game for them. Thanks again.
Buddy Ryan, then the defensive coordinator, loved Walter Payton and considered him a member of the defense. "Whenever the quarterback threw an interception," Ryan said, "he was the one who usually made the tackle."
There's a reason why Ditka mostly went with his own guys. Avellini wasn't good enough to go outside the flow of the offensive scheme as he did. I don't blame the Bears for firing him.
Agreed. He's a trump loving sob bastard who was NOT responsible for the '85 bears. It was buddy Ryan. What did the bears do after Ryan left notta. But he was right for this move Avallini sucked.
The offensive scheme failed him by giving him the ability to execute an audible but not having the trust in him to do it. If the coaching staff and player were on the same page and looking for the same things they would both understand the audible. The coaching staff left the player out to dry, he made a play because that's what players do and it turned out to be the wrong one and the coaching staff offered him no support and blamed him entirely. When it's a team sport snd everyone is on the same squad trying to win, throwing someone under the bus is terrible leadership by Ditka. Avelinni wasn't good but he was right.
Don't blame them? They should have fired him years before they actually did. Bob was replaced in 1979 by Mike Phipps. IMO, that should have ended Avellini's tenure with the team right then and there.
@Ride sally Ride The Bears made the playoffs with bums like Avellini (1977) and Douglas (1979), which mostly just showed what Walter Payton in his absolute prime and a solid defense could do in the weak NFC Central
1. Bob Avellini is one of my favorite names to cite for a team desperate for a quarterback, along with Gary Cuozzo and Babe Laufenberg. 2. In 1992 Jim Harbaugh called an audible as Bears quarterback that resulted in a Pick Six. Ditka was not pleased with that either. In a twist from this story, it was Ditka who lost his job this time as the Bears fired him after the season. 3. This unofficial Official Jaguar Gator 9 historian will remind everyone you made a video about how Ditka and the Bears abandoned the running game the week after the Seahawks game when they lost to the Cowboys.
I just rewatched the other video I referenced and you mentioned Derrick Henry running for over 100 yards against the Jaguars. Now we get word that Henry’s season may be over.
Growing up as a Bears Season Ticket Holder (and a lifelong Cowboys Fan) I can safely say that not a week ever went by during Ditka's tenure that there was not a boatload of drama with the Bears. That being said, I'd love to see a video on Virgil Carter's "Chickenshit" comment to George Halas and the fallout from that way back when.
You know, Ditka could be monstrously overbearing, no pun intended. I’m sure there were times where he thought he was showing ‘tough love’, but many players would just think, “F*ck this as***le!”
It worked out pretty well for the Bears, they won the Super Bowl the next season. This was not the last time Mike Ditka got into a feud on the field with a QB over an audible. There was a similar incident in 1992 with Jim Harbaugh, which contributed to Ditka’s firing after the season
If anything, Avellini’s tenure in Chicago lasted too long. IMO, both Mike Phipps and Vince Evans were better QBs. He really messed up with his negative comments and behavior at the end.
just like to say really enjoying your channel. Beyond the game when I first started watching, NFL Films and the work of Ed and Steve Sabol were a big part of making me an NFL fan when I was younger with videos about the NFL in the 60's, 70's and 80's in particular. Those videos were fascinating to learn about the rich history of the NFL. These time capsule stories of yours now take me back and are well researched and presented
Ditka always thought himself a great playcaller, if McMahon didn't like it he ignored it and called the correct play. Love McMahon, yes he was injury prone but when it came to reading a defense Jimmy Mac was like a idiot savant with that, he may have been "punky, rebel" but anybody that knew him knew how smart he was. And most of his injuries came from being reckless, he didn't slide. The Charles Martin body slam on his right shoulder in 86 really hurt him for rest of his career. Of course Soldier Field was AstroTurf then, so basically ice on top of concrete, that didn't help him either
1992, Jim Harbaugh did worse as the Bears QB under Ditka. Going into the 4th quarter against my Vikings in the old Metrodome, the Bears had a 20-0 lead and Ditka stressed that Harbaugh NOT call ANY audibles. Well, he did and it was an easy pick-6 for my Vikes that led to 21 unanswered points and a Vikings CFB victory. Harbaugh was shaken by his locker after the game and said that he was no longer allowed to call any audibles for the rest of the season. Ooh, I never saw Ditka so mad. Lol
I remember Bob Avellini! The very 1st NFL game i remember watching had Avellini playing against the Cowboys in the 1977 divisional playoffs, the Cowboys destroyed them 35-7!
It was actually 37-7. And it probably should have been 37-0, since the lone Bears TD came in junk time when Dallas had all the second- and third-stringers in on D.
I'm surprised Avellini lasted as long as he did with Chicago. When he was replaced in 1979 by Mike Phipps, that should have been the end of his tenure with the Bears. Avellini should have been cut by the team much earlier than he actually was. What was Ditka thinking?
@@georgfriedrichhandel4390 My guess is that Ditka would have cut Avellini after the 1983 season if Vince Evans hadn't left for the Chicago Blitz of the USFL (Evans was reported to be unhappy with his role backing up Jim McMahon, but upon further reflection, he did blow his chance to play in a Super Bowl). With Evans gone, Avellini was the new backup, but not for long. Steve Fuller was no great shakes, but he was far better than either Avellini or the even more mind-bogglingly awful Rusty Lisch. Ditka should have cut Avellini as soon as he took over in 1982. What with McMahon, Evans, and whatever the waiver wire could bring in, it would have been an improvement.
@@russellmurray3964 Avellini should have been cut long before Ditka came to town. Bobby definitely should have been given the axe in 1979 when Mike Phipps took over as starting QB (and led the Bears to the playoffs). Simply put, the Bears didn't need Bobby after that. And then when Phipps retired after the 1981 season, there was Evans and then came McMahon. By this time, Avellini was nothing more than a millstone for the team. And yes, once Ditka was coach, he should have dumped Avellini. Talk about overstaying your welcome!
@@russellmurray3964 Ah yes. Rusty Lisch. That guy who got yanked in favor of playing WALTER PAYTON at QB, he was that bad. I'm surprised JaguarGator hasn't done a video about that yet.
You should do a video about Jim Harbaugh’s (in)famous audible against the Vikings. The one when Ditka ripped him to shreds on the sideline and again after the game.
I remember that one very well. “It’s Mike’s team…” And who could forget that “Who the hell is Mel Kiper” was also spawned by the Colts sticking w/Harbaugh at QB & drafting Marshall Faulk.
The Bears had 4 Hall of Fame QB's in training camp in 1949: Sid Luckman, Bobby Layne, Johnny Lujack, and George Blanda. After they cut Blanda in 1959, they have never had a HOF QB again
Bob Avellini really should have just run the damn play Ditka called. And he REALLY shouldn't have gotten into a bunch of ridiculous public bickering with the coach. He was nowhere near a good enough QB to win a public feud with Iron Mike. If he could've stayed on the team for one more year, he'd have gotten a Super Bowl ring.
@@matthewdaley746 I'm pretty sure the NFLPA isnt gonna save your ass when you get cut because you A) are lucky to be on an NFL roster because you suck so bad and B) audible out of a play that the coach called and the play costs your team the game. Probably would and should have been cut even if the pass were just an incompletion, but a pick six, you cant be serious?
Remember as a kid wanting to kill him and wondering why the hell is he never cut? He ruined every game like that one relative that ruins every holiday.
I consider it to be like Dave Brown with the Giants. He was so bad, the local rock station did a parody of Bad, Bad Leroy Brown called Bad Sad David Brown.
You missed the fact that after the 83 season, Vince Evans signed with the USFL, thus the Bears needed a backup QB. Evans started a couple games in 83, before Ditka named McMahon the starter. He also started every game in 81, and the Bears realized they needed to draft a QB in 82. Evans got more money and a chance to start in the USFL, so he bailed. Obviously drafting a QB, wouldn't provide a veteran backup, so they only option was Cravellini. I mean Avelleni.
@@Seanpatf66 They traded for Fuller about half way through the 84 season. Fuller didn't go to training camp with the Bears in 84. The shoulder Fuller hurt happened in 87, when McMahon was coming back from his shoulder surgery.
@@DolFan316 No, he means Ricky Watts, who came out of Tulsa. At the time, he was the best receiver the Bears had, and thought he was secure. But he showed up late for a team meeting, and Ditka cleaned out his locker because he wanted players who cared about the team first.
Jim Finks deserves credit for helping build the '85 Bears but he had a BLIND spot with quarterbacks. Bear scout Bill Tobin want to draft Joe Montana in '79 but Finks ended up drafting Willie McClendon in the third round. The 49ers picked Montana a few picks later. The Bears had Avellini, Phipps and Evans. They didn't want to complicate the issue.
@@richardadams4928 I was 6 when Huff played for the Bucs..and being from Tampa, I have seen a lot of awful and sad football played over the years.. Huff was dreadful, I saw that through the eyes of a child just learning the game.. He was that bad 😂😂
Avelini was so inefficient. I recall in 1977 when the Bears played the Cowboys in a playoff game, Dallas stacked nine men on Walter Payton and Bob still couldn’t find any open receivers with man coverage. Dallas blew out Chicago 47 to 7. I still say the worst move Halas ever did to his dying day was diss George Allen. The Bears didn’t draft any quality players since he let Allen go until Walter Payton in 1975. The old man (Halas) didn’t realize the game passed him by. thankfully, Jim Finks’ talent blossomed by 84’.
It dont matter if it was right to cut Avelini, that Ditka guy was a complete total jerk it dont matter if he took the Bears to SBXX victory the guy was a complete jerk.
I met Bob Avellini in Chicago in the fall of 2003. He shook my hand and asked me, "Don't you know who I am?". I responded "Nope." He said his name, and proceeded to brag about how awesome he was. Most arrogant person I've ever met.
Now, what are the details here. You don’t know who he is, but you met him...somewhere. And you shook his hand, even though you didn’t know him. I’m calling nonsense on your part.
In retrospect, I was amazed Avellini played in Chicago as long as he did, especially under Ditka, he did have a string of fairly decent games from '75 thru '77, most notable his career best against the Rams on MNF in 1977 in which he threw 3 TD bombs in the pouring rain and ignited Chicago's 6 game win streak with a TD to Greg Latta in the closing seconds against the Chiefs while guiding the Bears to the playoffs against the Cowboys, before landing back to reality in a 37-7 loss, but aside from a 3 game win streak to open the '78 campaign. He was benched in favor of Mike Phipps in the midst of a 8 game losing streak while never progressing as he did in '76. Avellini's career had peaked, and it was all down hill from there. It's interesting to note that, as bad as Avellini's statistics were, James Scott did manage to finish second in the NFC with 50 receptions, while being snubbed from the Pro Bowl.
I remember watching show a talk show one time and a offensive lineman from the Bears was asked if he ever played with anybody who was good at practice but no good in the games.. He said yes Bob Avellini. He said he was a captain during practice but then disappeared on game days. He said Bob had no leadership but everybody on the team really like him.
I saw Avellini practice the summer before his rookie season, when the Bears used to practice in Lake Forest. I was impressed by his passing, but of course practice throws aren't the same as playing a real game against a real defense.
I saw Craig Krentzel play. Hard to say anybody was worse than him. Krentzel was so bad he only played part of one season wand was never seen in the NFL again.
It's hilarious what the Bears have thrown on the field over the years, I remember Henry Burris and Chad Hutchinson lasting 1 start. Avellini was a real survivor, somehow....
I started following the Bears in 1976 when I was 7. So, obviously, I have witnessed a whole hell of a lot of quarterbacks, more specifically bad quarterback play. He was terrible.
My thoughts exactly. It sort of reminded me of a bad marriage that both parties didn't know how to end and hoped would one day get better but never did!
The Bears had a chance to draft Patrick Mahomes in 2017 but chose Mitch Trubisky instead. Mahomes has already won a Super Bowl while Trubisky has been traded. Talk about a missed opportunity!
I'm surprised Mike didn't cut him on day 1, he also had to deal with Vince Evans after McMahon was drafted. Avellini was awful, imagine if they didn't have Walter Payton on the team in the 70's
Jonathan Quinn was atrocious in 2004. Worse than Krenzel that same year IMO. I honestly thought the guy was incapable of completing a pass at one point.
It's sad my first memories of Being a Bears and Walter Payton fan was shrouded by not just bad, but horrific and embarrassing QB play. How did Avellini last a decade is still one of the great unknown wonders of the world 🤣
If Avellini had been a competent QB in the 1970s the Bears would’ve done much more w/Walter Payton, who was a better QB than Avellini.if McMahon had played smarter at times to stay healthy the Bears could’ve won at least 3 Super Bowls.
Its amazing how much game time McMahon missed due to injury. Watch some of the complete games from the 85 season on RU-vid and you will find Steve Fuller played nearly half the regular season!!!! (At least it feels that way)
Payton might've been a QB in today's NFL. Honestly, one reason why, is that RB was a much more significant position until very recently. If QB was as protected as it is now, and offenses would've been more pass centric... well, it wasn't, but interesting to ponder.
I probably watched 90% of the games bob started. And while he wasn’t very talented he was the game manager that jack pardee wanted. We used to call him slo mo bob ran like he was dragging a anvil had a few good games in 77 look up the KC & Rams Monday night game. Might have been limited athleticly but was tough as nails. Took a lot of beatings and always came back for more. A lot worse QBs have played for the beloved
There's a reason why Dikta only won Super Bowl while Gibbs, Walsh, and Parcells won multiple ones. They didn't let their egos get in the way. Didn't allow public feuds to boil over and effect the team. Joe Gibbs stayed in his lane and did the offense while Richie Pettibone did the defense. Parcells delegated his tasks to Belichick. Walsh had the west coast offense. No big egos that distracted the team accept for Lawrence Taylor for Parcells and had his drug problem. Other than that there was petty arguments that the press got a hold of. They set aside their egos and they won. Ditka couldn't do that.
"Couldn't," and/or, "wouldn't," didn't, help that an adequate, O-Line, was, all that, was, required to neutralize the defense, and, they just stunk, against top passing offenses.
@@matthewdaley746 Joe Gibbs owned Ditka from 86 to 91. The Ditka only won in 1988 but lost in the 86,87 playoffs and had a 14-0 lead in 87 until the Redskins came back you know the famous Darrell Green leap punt return touchdown. Between those 3 coaches I stated, they were able to get 5 playoff wins over Dikta's Bears.
Small nit: the 1977 Bears were widely expected to make the playoffs and possibly win the division. They were a surprise playoff team only because they started 3-5, capped by a 47-0 loss at Houston (where I think they *did* spike the ball on every play), but won their last 6 games to edge into the wild card. But yes, Avellini sucked. I’d forgotten he was still with the Bears in 1984.
T.J. Rubley's quarterbacking career in Green Bay ended in similar fashion in 1995, and would make a good companion video to this one. That's one of the most impressive "highlight" videos of a particular player that I've ever seen. To be fair, Avellini wasn't getting very good protection on some of those plays. I remember watching the telecast of the Bears' last game of the 1974 season, a 42-0 loss in Washington, when they used Gary Huff and Joe Barnes at quarterback. Deacon Jones kicked the extra point after the last touchdown. I'd like to see that game again on RU-vid. There's already a video on this channel about Bobby Douglass, but don't forget Jack Concannon in that list of QBs from the late '60s-late '70s. Neill Armstrong not only had trouble finding a good quarterback in Chicago, but he coached the Edmonton Eskimos from 1964-1969, and never had a consistently good quarterback during that era.
The Bears are notoriously bad concerning QB decisions. Jim McMahon remains the best QB they have ever fielded (since the merger). If they could only draft QBs like they so LBers. Hey....another video idea. Do a segment on how certain franchises are GREAT at drafting certain positions. Steelers: WR Bears: LB Cowboys: Offensive linemen Vikings: Defensive lineman Raiders:Felons
Sadly, Bob Avellini (who has worked in real estate for the last 30 years or so) completely fell off the wagon. 18 months in prison for a DUI and millions of dollars in debt.
In the 1979 draft, the Bears' original plan (according to scout Bill Tobin) was to take Joe Montana in Round 3. However, when Round 3 came around, GM Jim Finks changed his mind because they had Avellini and Phipps (lol) at QB (along with Vince Evans, who was considered the future at that point).
OMG, I didn't know that! Talk about a missed opportunity. In 2017, history would repeat itself when the Bears had a chance to draft Patrick Mahomes but went with Mitch Trubisky instead. Let's hope Justin Fields turns out to be better choice.
The sad thing about Avelini was that he took an absolute beating as the Bears QB for the better part of a decade only to get cut right before the Bears won the SB.
Avellini never should have lasted as long as he did with the Bears. Why would any team keep a less-than-mediocre quarterback like Avellini for nine seasons? The only explanation I can think of is that Avellini led the team to the playoffs in 1977 and everyone probably thought Avellini was better than he really was. When he was replaced as starting QB in 1979, the team should have cut him that season. Avellini was just dead weight.
Hey, as long as you made a film about "Slo-Mo", maybe you could do one on Noah Jackson? Two guys who Ditka had in mind when he said in 1983 "I've got good news and bad news; the good news is that we're going to win the Super Bowl; the bad news is that half of you won't be here.".
@@littleblackduck3134 not to be argumentative, but Noll said (per Andy Russell, on NFL Films) "We get to training camp, and the first speech to the team he says, 'I've been watching the game film since I took the job, and I can tell you the reason you've been losing is not because of your attitude or your psyche or any of that stuff. The problem is you're not good enough. You can't run fast enough, you can't jump high enough, you're not quick enough, your techniques are just abysmal. I'm going to probably have to get rid of most of you and we're going to move on''. Andy and 4 others made it to 1974
I thought Bobbie Massie and Charles Leno Jr were just Noah Jackson and Revie Sorey moved from G to T. Leno got Ryan Fitzpatrick killed in the 1st WFT game this season.
3:08 That is the only reason people know of Bob Avellini. That play has been played a million times. Also, talking about the worst quarterbacks in Bears history and not one word about Bobby Douglass? As a Kansas Jayhawks fan, I'm pretty happy about that.
@Official JaguarGator9 You should do a video about Rusty Lisch. AKA that guy who Ditka pulled to play Walter Payton at QB instead, because he was so terrible. You could have a field day with that game. Definitely drop your
I'm surprised the Cowboys brought Avellini in to camp, Ditka was sort of a Landry protégé. You would think a character check on him would happen and disqualify him from consideration
call me crazy but i think Ditka is far from being a motivator of men and is more than distance when it comes to the emotional/cerebral/morale part of the game. in fact i don't think Ditka was or is a great coach despite this 1984 bears team was a foregone conclusion and had won the superbowl in the eyes of the majority of nfl fans in week 1. ditka has done more harm than good in the nfl. not catching what im talking about rn? look at what he did to a struggling franchise thats always had potential. the new orleans saints. he came after our first playoff appearance and Ditka was the first coach i remember when i started watching in the early 90s. this man straight up traded our whole draft for Ricky Williams and mortgaged our future by giving away multple high draft picks in the following 2 or 3 years too, he sold us down the river and sold every pick we had for Ricky and then he went and played golf. no im not kidding.
