1979 Chicago Bears season

NFL team season August 2023 March 2026 Chicago Bears 1979 10–6 2nd NFC Central Neill Armstrong Jim Finks George Halas Soldier Field Lost Wild Card Playoffs(at Eagles) 17–27 Bears seasons The 1979 Chicago Bears season was their 60th regular season and 14th postseason completed in the National Football League. The team finished with a 10–6 record under second year coach Neill Armstrong but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 27–17 in the opening round of the playoffs. Offseason NFL draft 1979 NFL draft 1979 Chicago Bears 1 4 Dan Hampton Defensive end Arkansas yes yes yes 1 9 Al Harris Defensive end Arizona State yes 2 39 Rickey Watts Wide receiver Tulsa yes 3 66 Willie McClendon Running back Georgia yes 6 147 John Sullivan Linebacker Illinois no 7 174 Lee Kunz Linebacker Nebraska yes 8 203 Rick Moss Defensive back Purdue no 9 230 Jerome Heavens Running back Notre Dame no 10 257 Joe Restic Defensive back Notre Dame no 11 286 Bob Wright Offensive tackle Cincinnati no 12 312 Dave Becker Safety Iowa no yes yes Undrafted free agents + 1979 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeMaurice HortonWide receiverNo CollegePete KrakerQuarterbackNorthern IllinoisCarl LarsonCenterSt. Cloud StateJim MooreCenterWisconsinMark MoselleGuardWisconsin–SuperiorPhil OlsonTight endDartmouthDave PetzkeWide receiverNorthern IllinoisPat WackerWide receiverNorth Dakota Roster 1979 Chicago Bears  7 Bob Avellini 15 Mike Phipps 39 Robin Earl 37 Willie McClendon y 34 Walter Payton 25 Lonnie Perrin 22 Dave Williams running back 84 Brian Baschnagel 83 Kris Haines y 81 Harry Washington American football 80 Rickey Watts y 87 Mike Cobb 88 Greg Latta 64 Ted Albrecht T 63 Tony Ardizzone American football C 60 Lynn Boden G 65 Noah Jackson G 62 Dan Jiggetts T 70 Dennis Lick T 52 Dan Neal C 69 Revie Sorey G 99 Dan Hampton y DE 90 Al Harris defensive lineman y DE 53 Tommy Hart DE 73 Mike Hartenstine DE 68 Jim Osborne defensive tackle DT 82 Alan Page DT 76 Ron Rydalch DT 55 Doug Buffone MLB 59 Gary Campbell linebacker OLB 51 Bruce Herron OLB 54 Tom Hicks American football MLB 57 Lee Kunz y OLB 50 Mark Merrill OLB 58 Jerry Muckensturm OLB 48 Allan Ellis American football CB 45 Gary Fencik SS 36 Wentford Gaines CB 24 Virgil Livers CB 46 Doug Plank FS 44 Terry Schmidt CB 47 Mike Spivey American football CB 23 Len Walterscheid FS 86 Bob Parsons American football P 16 Bob Thomas K 79 Lionel Antoine T IR  8 Vince Evans QB IR 35 Roland Harper FB IR 74 Jerry Meyers American football DE IR 71 Rocco Moore T IR -- Golden Richards WR IR 85 Steve Schubert WR IR 89 James Scott gridiron football WR IR 72 Brad Shearer DT IR 30 John Skibinski RB IR Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 2 Green Bay Packers W 6–3 1–0 Soldier Field 56,515 2 September 9 Minnesota Vikings W 26–7 2–0 Soldier Field 53,231 3 September 16 at Dallas Cowboys L 20–24 2–1 Texas Stadium 64,056 4 September 23 at Miami Dolphins L 16–31 2–2 Miami Orange Bowl 66,011 5 September 30 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 13–17 2–3 Soldier Field 55,258 6 October 7 at Buffalo Bills W 7–0 3–3 Rich Stadium 73,383 7 October 14 New England Patriots L 7–27 3–4 Soldier Field 54,128 8 October 21 at Minnesota Vikings L 27–30 3–5 Metropolitan Stadium 41,164 9 October 28 at San Francisco 49ers W 28–27 4–5 Candlestick Park 42,773 10 November 4 Detroit Lions W 35–7 5–5 Soldier Field 50,108 11 November 11 Los Angeles Rams W 27–23 6–5 Soldier Field 51,483 12 November 18 New York Jets W 23–13 7–5 Soldier Field 52,635 13 November 22 at Detroit Lions L 0–20 7–6 Pontiac Silverdome 66,219 14 December 2 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 14–0 8–6 Tampa Stadium 69,508 15 December 9 at Green Bay Packers W 15–14 9–6 Lambeau Field 54,207 16 December 16 St. Louis Cardinals W 42–6 10–6 Soldier Field 42,810 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Game summaries Week 1 Network: CBS Announcers: Dick Stockton and Johnny Morris Bob Thomas booted a pair of field goals and Walter Payton rushed for 125 yards on 36 carries in 80 degree heat as the Bears won their opener. Thomas who had a field goal attempt blocked by Packers' Mike Hunt in the first quarter converted from 25 and 19 yards in the second quarter and the Bears banked on an aggressive defense which was credited with five sacks for the triumph. Chester Marcol, who had a field goal blocked by Virgil Livers, later connected for Green Bay's only score with a 28 yarder. The Bears defense aided by a pair of excellent punts by Bob Parsons, kept the Packers in tough field condition in the first half when Green Bay was limited to only three first downs. Week 14 Bears 7 7 0 0 Buccaneers 0 0 0 0 December 2 Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida 1:00 p.m. 53 F, wind 9 mph on Fred Silva CBS yes 1 CHI Walter Payton 1 yard run (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 7–0 2 CHI Dave Williams 13 yard pass from Mike Phipps (Bob Thomas kick) Bears 14–0 yes Pro-Football-Reference.com Week 15: at Green Bay Packers 1979 Green Bay Packers season Chicago Bears 1979 2; text-align:center collapsed Week 15: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers December 9, 1979 1:00 p.m. CST Bears 3 3 0 9 Packers 0 7 0 7 Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin Overcast, 29 F C CBS Pat Summerall and Sonny Jurgensen First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers CHI – Mike Phipps – 10/25, 113 yards, 1 INT GB – Lynn Dickey – 20/37, 283 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Top rushers CHI – Walter Payton – 25 rushes, 115 yards GB – Ricky Patton – 18 rushes, 35 yards Top receivers CHI – Rickey Watts – 4 receptions, 68 yards GB – James Lofton – 6 receptions, 112 yards, 1 TD Playoffs Round Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Wildcard December 23 at Philadelphia Eagles L 17–27 0–1 Veterans Stadium 69,397 Standings References External links 1979 Chicago Bears Season at www.bearshistory.com Chicago Bears Category:Chicago Bears seasons Chicago Bears Category:Long stubs with short prose Category:1979 in Chicago