1979 Chicago Bears Roster
National Football League (NFL)
Team Record: 10-6
Finishing 1st in the NFL's Central Division of the National Football Conference
Postseason: 0-1 Lost Wild Card
Coach: Neill Armstrong (10-6)
Location: Chicago, Illinois
1979 Chicago Bears StatisticsTeam Record: 10-6
Finishing 1st in the NFL's Central Division of the National Football Conference
Postseason: 0-1 Lost Wild Card
Coach: Neill Armstrong (10-6)
Location: Chicago, Illinois
1979 Chicago Bears Results
The Chicago Bears of the National Football League ended the 1979 season with a record of 10 wins and 6 losses, finishing first in the NFL's Central Division of the National Football Conference. The team compiled a postseason mark of 0-1.
The Bears racked up 306 points, and the stingy defense gave up 249. Walter Payton spearheaded the running game, rushing for a 1,610 yards for Chicago.
Mike Phipps passed for 1,535 yards. Dave Williams hauled in 42 balls, while Brian Baschnagel added 452 receiving yards. James Scott and Rickey Watts contributed to the receiving game as well.
The opportunistic defense created 43 turnovers. Gary Fencik and Terry Schmidt each seized 6 opponent throws.
Neill Armstrong coached the team. The 1979 Chicago Bears lost in the Wild Card.
Click on column headings to sort.
| # | Player | Pos. | Birth Date | Height | Weight | College | Hometown | GP | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | Ted Albrecht | LT | October 8, 1954 | 6'4" | 253 | California | Harvey, IL USA | 16 | 16 |
| 63 | Tony Ardizzone | C | December 19, 1956 | 6'3" | 240 | Northwestern | La Grange, IL USA | 16 | 0 |
| 7 | Bob Avellini | QB | August 28, 1953 | 6'2" | 208 | Maryland | Queens, NY USA | 7 | 3 |
| 84 | Brian Baschnagel | WR | January 8, 1954 | 5'11" | 187 | Ohio St. | Kingston, NY USA | 16 | 11 |
| 60 | Lynn Boden | G-T | June 5, 1953 | 6'3" | 270 | South Dakota St. | Stromburg, NE USA | 10 | 0 |
| 55 | Doug Buffone | LB | June 27, 1944 | 6'3" | 230 | Louisville | Yatesboro, PA USA | 16 | 0 |
| 59 | Gary Campbell | RLB | March 4, 1952 | 6'1" | 218 | Colorado | Honolulu, HI USA | 16 | 16 |
| 87 | Mike Cobb | TE | December 10, 1955 | 6'5" | 244 | Michigan St. | Youngstown, OH USA | 16 | 15 |
| 33 | Jack Deloplaine | RB | April 21, 1954 | 5'10" | 205 | Salem | Pottstown, PA USA | 5 | 0 |
| 39 | Robin Earl | TE | March 18, 1955 | 6'5" | 242 | Washington | Boise, ID USA | 13 | 2 |
| 48 | Allan Ellis | DB | August 19, 1951 | 5'11" | 185 | UCLA | Los Angeles, CA USA | 8 | 4 |
| 8 | Vince Evans | QB | June 14, 1955 | 6'2" | 215 | USC | Greensboro, NC USA | 4 | 3 |
| 45 | Gary Fencik | SS | June 11, 1954 | 6'1" | 194 | Yale | Chicago, IL USA | 14 | 14 |
| 36 | Wentford Gaines | DB | February 4, 1953 | 6'0" | 185 | Ferrum | Anderson, SC USA | 16 | 0 |
| 83 | Kris Haines | WR | July 23, 1957 | 5'11" | 183 | Notre Dame | Akron, OH USA | 2 | 0 |
| 99 | Dan Hampton | LDE | September 19, 1957 | 6'5" | 264 | Arkansas | Oklahoma City, OK USA | 16 | 16 |
| 90 | Al Harris | DE-LB | December 31, 1956 | 6'5" | 250 | Arizona St. | Bangor, ME USA | 4 | 0 |
| 53 | Tommy Hart | DE-LB | November 7, 1944 | 6'4" | 245 | Morris Brown | Macon, GA USA | 15 | 0 |
| 73 | Mike Hartenstine | RDE | July 27, 1953 | 6'3" | 251 | Penn St. | Bethlehem, PA USA | 16 | 16 |
| 51 | Bruce Herron | LB | April 14, 1954 | 6'2" | 220 | New Mexico | Victoria, TX USA | 16 | 0 |
| 54 | Tom Hicks | MLB | December 18, 1952 | 6'4" | 235 | Illinois | Chicago, IL USA | 15 | 0 |
| 65 | Noah Jackson | LG | April 14, 1951 | 6'2" | 267 | Tampa | Jacksonville Beach, FL USA | 15 | 15 |
| 62 | Dan Jiggetts | T-G | March 10, 1954 | 6'4" | 274 | Harvard | Brooklyn, NY USA | 16 | 0 |
| 57 | Lee Kunz | LB | April 21, 1957 | 6'2" | 226 | Nebraska | Golden, CO USA | 16 | 0 |
| 88 | Greg Latta | TE | October 13, 1952 | 6'3" | 227 | Morgan St. | Newark, NJ USA | 15 | 0 |
| 70 | Dennis Lick | RT | April 26, 1954 | 6'3" | 266 | Wisconsin | Chicago, IL USA | 16 | 16 |
| 24 | Virgil Livers | RCB | March 26, 1952 | 5'8" | 176 | West. Kentucky | Fairfield, KY USA | 13 | 12 |
| 37 | Willie McClendon | RB | September 13, 1957 | 6'1" | 205 | Georgia | Brunswick, GA USA | 16 | 0 |
| 50 | Mark Merrill | LB | May 5, 1955 | 6'4" | 237 | Minnesota | St. Paul, MN USA | 9 | 0 |
| 74 | Jerry Meyers | DE-DT | February 21, 1954 | 6'4" | 249 | Northern Illinois | Chicago, IL USA | 6 | 0 |
| 58 | Jerry Muckensturm | LLB | October 13, 1953 | 6'4" | 223 | Arkansas St. | Belleville, IL USA | 16 | 16 |
| 52 | Dan Neal | C | August 30, 1949 | 6'4" | 250 | Kentucky | Corbin, KY USA | 16 | 16 |
| 68 | Jim Osborne | LDT | September 7, 1949 | 6'3" | 250 | Southern | Sylvania, GA USA | 16 | 16 |
| 82 | Alan Page | RDT | August 7, 1945 | 6'4" | 245 | Notre Dame | Canton, OH USA | 16 | 16 |
| 86 | Bob Parsons | P | June 29, 1950 | 6'4" | 234 | Penn St. | Bethlehem, PA USA | 16 | 0 |
| 34 | Walter Payton | RB | July 25, 1954 | 5'10" | 200 | Jackson St. | Columbia, MS USA | 16 | 16 |
| 25 | Lonnie Perrin | RB | February 3, 1952 | 6'1" | 222 | Illinois | Norfolk, VA USA | 9 | 0 |
| 15 | Mike Phipps | QB | November 19, 1947 | 6'3" | 208 | Purdue | Shelbyville, IN USA | 12 | 10 |
| 46 | Doug Plank | FS | March 4, 1953 | 6'0" | 200 | Ohio St. | Greensburg, PA USA | 16 | 16 |
| 83 | Golden Richards | WR | December 31, 1950 | 6'1" | 181 | Hawaii | Salt Lake City, UT USA | 5 | 0 |
| 76 | Ron Rydalch | DT | January 1, 1952 | 6'4" | 260 | Utah | Tooele, UT USA | 16 | 0 |
| 44 | Terry Schmidt | LCB | May 28, 1952 | 6'0" | 177 | Ball St. | Columbus, IN USA | 16 | 16 |
| 85 | Steve Schubert | PR | March 15, 1951 | 5'10" | 185 | Massachusetts | Brooklyn, NY USA | 14 | 0 |
| 89 | James Scott | WR | March 28, 1952 | 6'1" | 190 | Trinity Valley CC (TX) | Longview, TX USA | 10 | 9 |
| 30 | John Skibinski | RB | April 27, 1955 | 6'0" | 222 | Purdue | Chicago, IL USA | 1 | 1 |
| 69 | Revie Sorey | RG | September 10, 1953 | 6'2" | 260 | Illinois | Brooklyn, NY USA | 16 | 16 |
| 47 | Mike Spivey | DB | March 10, 1954 | 6'0" | 197 | Colorado | Houston, TX USA | 16 | 0 |
| 16 | Bob Thomas | K | August 7, 1952 | 5'10" | 178 | Notre Dame | Rochester, NY USA | 16 | 0 |
| 23 | Len Walterscheid | KR | September 13, 1954 | 5'11" | 190 | Southern Utah | Gainesville, TX USA | 15 | 2 |
| 81 | Harry Washington | WR | July 30, 1956 | 6'0" | 180 | Colorado St. | Tacoma, WA USA | 6 | 0 |
| 80 | Rickey Watts | WR | May 16, 1957 | 6'1" | 203 | Tulsa | Longview, TX USA | 16 | 6 |
| 22 | Dave Williams | FB | March 10, 1954 | 6'2" | 210 | Colorado | Minden, LA USA | 14 | 12 |
