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CHICAGO — Bob Avellini, the former Chicago quarterback who teamed with Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton to lead the Bears to the 1977 playoffs, died Saturday. He was 70. The Bears said Avellini died after a battle with cancer. The team did not say when he died. Avellini and Payton had the finest seasons of their careers in 1977, when Chicago and the Minnesota Vikings each went 9-5 in the NFC North. Minnesota won the division, while Chicago earned a wild-card playoff berth. The Bears were beaten by Dallas 37-7 in the playoffs that season. The former Maryland star threw for 7,111 yards with 33 touchdowns and 69 interceptions in 73 games over nine seasons, from 1975 to 1984.
