The Chicago Bears are mourning the loss of a former star player. Former quarterback Bob Avellini has passed away at the age of 70

Former NFL quarterback Bob Avellini passed away on Saturday at the age of 70.

The former star of the Chicago Bears, who led the team to the playoffs together with the legendary Walter Payton in 1977, succumbed to cancer. This was announced by the franchise.

Avellini threw for 7,111 yards with 33 touchdowns and 69 interceptions in nine NFL seasons for the Bears, from 1975 to 1984, in a total of 73 games.

Born in New York, Avellini was selected in the sixth round of the 1975 draft, the same year as Payton.

In 1984, the quarterback returned to his hometown to play for the New York Jets, and two years later went to the Dallas Cowboys.

After the end of his career, Avellini had a number of negative repercussions due to drunk driving, which is why he was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2014 after his third offense of this kind.

Avellini had already had to file for bankruptcy in 2012, when he had accumulated debts amounting to 2.2 million US dollars