Bob Avellini, the former Bears quarterback who teamed with Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton to lead the Bears to the 1977 playoffs, has died. He was 70. The Bears said Saturday that Avellini died of cancer.

Bob Avellini, who quarterbacked the Chicago Bears through some of the greatest seasons of Walter Payton’s career and helped the team make the playoffs in 1977, has died. He was 70. A team official confirmed Avellini’s death and said he had been battling cancer.

A sixth-round draft pick out of Maryland in 1975, Avellini's miraculous 37-yard touchdown pass to tight end Greg Latta with three seconds left beat the Chiefs 28-27 in 1977 and sparked a six-game winning streak that put the Bears in the playoffs for the first time since 1963.