1973 Chicago Bears season

NFL team season August 2023 March 2026 Chicago Bears 1973 3–11 4th NFC Central Abe Gibron George Halas, Jr. George Halas Soldier Field Did not qualify Bears seasons The 1973 Chicago Bears season was their 54th regular season completed in the National Football League. Unable to improve on their 4–9–1 record from 1972, the Bears failed to qualify for the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season, and instead went 3–11 for their fifth consecutive losing season. Their .214 winning percentage was the second-worst in franchise history until 43 years later in 2016, when the team went 3–13. This was the final season of Dick Butkus's career, as he was forced to retire due to a knee injury. Offseason NFL draft 1973 NFL draft 1973 Chicago Bears 1 8 Wally Chambers Defensive end Eastern Kentucky yes yes 2 33 Gary Huff Quarterback Florida State yes 2 48 Gary Hrivnak Defensive tackle Purdue yes 5 107 Allan Ellis Cornerback UCLA yes yes 6 138 Mike Creaney Center Notre Dame no 8 187 Conrad Graham Defensive back Tennessee no 9 216 Mike Deutsch Running back North Dakota no 10 241 William Barry Wide receiver Ole Miss no 11 266 Ed Siegler Kicker Clemson no 12 291 Mike Griffin Guard Arkansas no 13 320 John Cieszkowski Running back Notre Dame no 14 345 Dave Juenger Wide receiver Ohio yes 15 370 Don Rives Linebacker Texas Tech yes 17 424 Larry Roach Defensive back Oklahoma no yes no Roster 1973 Chicago Bears 12 Zeke Bratkowski 10 Bobby Douglass 19 Gary Huff y 26 Carl Garrett 35 Jim Harrison American football 33 Gary Kosins 36 Roger Lawson 45 Joe Moore running back 39 Reggie Sanderson y 43 George Farmer wide receiver, born 1948 17 Ike Hill 38 Dave Juenger y 81 Mike Reppond y 82 Earl Thomas wide receiver 21 Cecil Turner 80 Craig Cotton 86 Bob Parsons American football 79 Lionel Antoine T 74 Bob Asher American football T 52 Rich Coady center C 61 Glen Holloway G 65 Randy Jackson offensive lineman T 64 Ernie Janet G 63 Steve Kinney y T 78 Bob Newton American football G 60 Wally Chambers y DT 72 Gary Hrivnak y DE 71 Tony McGee defensive lineman DE 68 Jim Osborne defensive tackle DT 70 Andy Rice DT 89 Mel Tom DE 55 Doug Buffone OLB 53 Gail Clark y OLB 58 Bob Pifferini OLB 57 Don Rives y MLB 54 Adrian Young American football MLB 25 Craig Clemons SS 48 Allan Ellis y American football CB 32 Charlie Ford American football CB 29 Bob Jeter CB/S 44 Garry Lyle FS 24 Willie Roberts American football, born 1948 y CB 20 Joe Taylor cornerback CB 88 Bobby Joe Green P 83 Mac Percival K 15 Mirro Roder K 51 Dick Butkus LB IR 37 Conrad Graham y no S IR 30 Jimmy Gunn LB IR 75 Dave Hale DE IR 87 Tom Reynolds American football WR IR Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 16 Dallas Cowboys L 17–20 0–1 Soldier Field 49,970 2 September 23 Minnesota Vikings L 13–22 0–2 Soldier Field 52,035 3 September 30 at Denver Broncos W 33–14 1–2 Mile High Stadium 51,159 4 October 7 at New Orleans Saints L 16–21 1–3 Tulane Stadium 56,561 5 October 14 at Atlanta Falcons L 6–46 1–4 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 58,850 6 October 21 New England Patriots L 10–13 1–5 Soldier Field 47,643 7 October 28 Houston Oilers W 35–14 2–5 Soldier Field 43,755 8 November 4 at Green Bay Packers W 31–17 3–5 Lambeau Field 56,267 9 November 12, 1973 at Kansas City Chiefs L 7–19 3–6 Arrowhead Stadium 70,664 10 November 18 Detroit Lions L 7–30 3–7 Soldier Field 48,625 11 November 25 at Minnesota Vikings L 13–31 3–8 Metropolitan Stadium 46,430 12 December 2 Los Angeles Rams L 0–26 3–9 Soldier Field 47,620 13 December 9 at Detroit Lions L 7–40 3–10 Tiger Stadium 41,729 14 December 16 Green Bay Packers L 0–21 3–11 Soldier Field 29,157 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Game summaries Week 1 vs. Cowboys Chicago Bears 1973 2; text-align:center collapsed Week One: Dallas Cowboys (0–0) at Chicago Bears (0–0) September 16 1:00 p.m. CST Cowboys 0 17 0 3 Bears 3 0 7 7 Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois 49,970 55 F C Box Score First quarter CHI – Mac Percival 33-yard field goal. Bears 3–0. Second quarter DAL – Toni Fritsch 25-yard field goal. Tie 3–3. DAL – Otto Stowe 21-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick). Cowboys 10–3. DAL – Bob Hayes 18-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick). Cowboys 17–3. Third quarterCHI – Ike Hill 59-yard punt return (Mac Percival kick). Cowboys 17–10.Fourth quarter''' CHI – Carl Garrett 15-yard run (Mac Percival kick). Tie 17–17.DAL – Toni Fritsch 11-yard field goal. Cowboys 20–17.'' Top passers DAL – Roger Staubach – 9/22, 91 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT CHI – Bobby Douglass – 6/13, 52 yards, INT Top rushers DAL – Calvin Hill – 31 rushes, 130 yards CHI – Jim Harrison – 16 rushes, 70 yards Top receivers DAL – Calvin Hill – 4 receptions, 28 yards CHI – Jim Harrison – 4 receptions, 30 yards Week 8 Bears 7 3 14 7 Packers 7 10 0 0 November 4 Lambeau Field 1:00 p.m. 56,267 31 F • Wind 9 mph on yes 1 CHI Bobby Douglass 1 yard run (Mac Percival kick) Bears 7–0 1 GB MacArthur Lane 5 yard pass from Scott Hunter (Chester Marcol kick) Tie 7–7 2 GB Scott Hunter 1 yard run (Chester Marcol kick) Packers 14–7 2 GB Chester Marcol 25 yard field goal Packers 17–7 2 CHI Mac Percival 10 yard field goal Packers 17–10 3 CHI Bobby Douglass 1 yard run (Mac Percival kick) Tie 17–17 3 CHI Bobby Douglass 2 yard run (Mac Percival kick) Bears 24–17 4 CHI Bobby Douglass 1 yard run (Mac Percival kick) Bears 31–17 yes Pro-Football-Reference.com Standings References Chicago Bears Category:Chicago Bears seasons Chicago Bears Category:Long stubs with short prose Category:1973 in Chicago