Bryan is an avid football fan and has over 10 years of experience writing about professional and college football for both print and internet publications. His favorite pro football team is the Chicago Bears and his favorite college football team is the Texas Longhorms. He works full time for a technology company in Iowa and has many interests, which include sporting events, computers, writing and reading. He currently lives with his giflfriend Janie and her son and enjoys spending time with them.
The 1970s were lean years for the Bears, but what started out to be a difficult decade would end up as the basis for the 1985 Super Bowl Championship team. This is a look at some of the well known, and not so well known, players that helped shape the 1970s for the Chicago Bears.
The Bears started off the '70s by taking George Farmer, a wide receiver out of UCLA. Farmer stayed with the Bears from 1970 to 1975, but didn't make too huge of an impact on the Bears.
In 1972, the Bears took quarterback Jim Fassel in the 7th round. Fassel didn't have an impact on the team, but is better known for his head coaching stint with the New York Giants.
Wally Chambers came to the Bears in 1973 and was selected in the eighth round. He was selected as the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1973 and was voted to the Pro Bowl three times. He was also named the NFC Defensive Player of the Year in 1975 and 1976 and gained many other honors during his time in Chicago and in the NFL.
The first building block of the Bears 1985 Super Bowl championship team came in 1975 when they drafted running back Walter Payton out of Jackson State University. Any Bears fan will know what Payton did for the Bears during his career, including achieving the all time rushing record, being elected to the Pro Bowl numerous times, as well as being elected league MVP. Payton was a very popular player both during and after he played with the Bears. Unfortunately, Payton passed away not too long after he retired from football, but his legend lives on still today.
Chicago took defensive end Mike Hartenstein, another member of the 1985 Super Bowl team in the '70s. Hartenstein was a reserve at the time the Super Bowl took place.
Another notable player the Bears had drafted during that time was quarterback Bob Avellini. Avellini played several seasons with the Bears leading them through some of the darkest (losing) times in the 1970's and early 80's. These days, Avellini is better known for the three driving while intoxicated arrests he has gotten since retiring from football.
The Bears drafted one of the most feared players in the NFL in Doug Plank during the 1970s. Plank was known as a hard hitter who played a very aggressive game, his jersey number (and Plank himself) the inspiration for the name given to the defense the Bears ran in part of the 1980s (aka the "46" defense. Plank retired before the Bears 1985 Super Bowl run, but his legend of being a hard hitter lives on. These days, Plank is coaching in the Arena Football League and was even named its Coach of the Year in 2005.
Many Bears fans will remember offensive tackle Dan Jiggetts who came to the Bears out of Harvard. Jiggetts played for the Bears from 1976 to 1982 and has worked for CBS and now COMCAST as a sportscaster.
Quarterback Vince Evans was taken in the 1977 NFL Draft and he had a long, but not illustrious career playing for the Bears and the Oakland Raiders. He also played in the USFL.
Chicago Bears fans should be able to remember defensive end Al Harris. Harris is best remembered for not playing in the 1985 season after he held out for the entire year due to a contract dispute. He then left the Bears and went on to play with the Philadelphia Eagles.
In the first round of the 1979 draft, the Bears selected Dan Hampton, a defensive tackle out of the University of Arkansas. He would be one of the many players who would help them get to, and win, the Super Bowl in 1985. Hampton was known for his aggressive style of play and has become a real fan favorite for many Chicago Bears fans.
Some of the many achievements that Hampton had during his career with the Bears included being selected to four Pro bowls, several All Pro selections, as well as being nominated as the NFC defensive lineman of the year in 1984. Hampton was eventually rewarded for his spectacular career with a Hall of Fame induction. These days, Hampton spends his time hosting the "Pro Football Weekly" television show.