1969_Chicago_Bears_season

1969 Chicago Bears season

1969 Chicago Bears season

NFL team season

The 1969 Chicago Bears season was their 50th regular season completed in the National Football League. The team finished with a franchise-worst 1–13 record.[1] This occurred despite the exploits of Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers, who had torn the ligaments in his right knee in November 1968.[2][3] After surgery, he went through a physical rehabilitation program with the help of teammate Brian Piccolo. In 1969, Sayers led the league in rushing once again with 1,032 yards,[1] but lacked his previous speed, and averaged only 4.4 yards per carry. This would also turn out to be Sayers final full season, as he would be on the injured reserve list for the entire 1970 and '71 seasons before finally retiring.

Quick Facts Chicago Bears season, Owner ...

An already poor season was compounded in late November. Undersized fullback Piccolo had scored a touchdown in each of his final three games (November 2, 9, 16),[4][5][6][7] but a persistent cough was diagnosed as cancer and he underwent chest surgery;[8][9] he succumbed to the disease seven months later at age 26.[10][11][12]

The Bears scored a total of only 27 points in 6 division games.

Offseason

Draft

Main article: 1969 NFL Draft
More information Round, Pick ...

Roster

1969 Chicago Bears final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Practice squad

  • 35 Joe Aluise RB


Rookies in italics

Preseason

On August 30, a crowd of 85,532 fans viewed a doubleheader at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium. In the first contest, the Bears played the AFL's Buffalo Bills,[13] while the Cleveland Browns hosted the Green Bay Packers in the second match.[14][15][16]

Regular season

Main article: 1969 NFL season

Schedule

More information Week, Date ...

Standings

More information NFL Central, W ...

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

References

  1. [1]
    "Lions win; clinch 3rd in West". Milwaukee Sentinel. UPI. December 22, 1969. p. 2, part 2.
  2. [2]
    "Bears beat 49ers, 27-19, but lose Sayers for year". Milwaukee Sentinel. UPI. November 11, 1968. p. 1, part 2.[permanent dead link]
  3. [3]
    "Bears down 49ers, 27-19, but lose Sayers for season". Milwaukee Journal. press dispatches. November 11, 1968. p. 12, part 2.
  4. [4]
    "Bears errors help Vikings keep lead". Milwaukee Journal. press dispatches. November 3, 1969. p. 13, part 2.
  5. [5]
    "Bears end famine by routing Steelers". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press dispatches. November 10, 1969. p. 15, part 2.[permanent dead link]
  6. [6]
    Sell, Jack (November 10, 1969). "Steelers 'good' for what ails Bears, 38-7". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 28.
  7. [7]
    "Falcons set scoring record of 48 points in rout of Bears". Milwaukee Journal. press dispatches. November 17, 1969. p. 16, part 2.[permanent dead link]
  8. [8]
    "Cowboys' Morton to undergo surgery". Milwaukee Sentinel. press dispatches. November 25, 1969. p. 1, part 2.
  9. [9]
    "Operate on Piccolo". Milwaukee Sentinel. UPI. November 29, 1968. p. 3, part 2.
  10. [10]
    "Cancer fatal to Piccolo of Bears at 26". Milwaukee Journal. press dispatches. June 16, 1970. p. 13, part 2.[permanent dead link]
  11. [11]
    "Brian Piccolo is dead at 26". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. June 17, 1970. p. 19.
  12. [12]
    "Sayers, Halas praise Piccolo's courage". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. June 17, 1970. p. 1-part 2.
  13. [13]
    Bledsoe, Terry (August 31, 1969). "Bears beat Bills, 23-16". Milwaukee Journal. p. 2, sports.
  14. [14]
    "Packers given 4th billing in Browns' doubleheader". Milwaukee Journal. August 30, 1969. p. 14, part 2.
  15. [15]
    Bledsoe, Terry (August 31, 1969). "Packer rally beats Browns, 27-17". Milwaukee Journal. p. 1, sports.
  16. [16]
    Rockin’ the Rockpile: The Buffalo Bills of the American Football League, p.439, Jeffrey J. Miller, ECW Press, 2007, ISBN 978-1-55022-797-0


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